Nano-engineered Thermoelectrics Enable Scalable, Compressor-Free Cooling

Researchers at Johns Hopkins APL, in collaboration with Samsung Research, have unveiled a breakthrough in solid-state cooling technology, doubling the efficiency of today’s commercial systems. Driven by the Lab’s patented nano-engineered thin-film thermoelectric materials and devices, this innovation paves the way for compact, reliable and scalable cooling solutions that could potentially replace traditional compressors across a range of industries.

Achieving superior thermoelectric transport in bismuth antimony telluride thin films via orientation and microstructure regulation

<p xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" class="first" dir="auto" id="d10033711e200">The electron-phonon transport properties of bismuth telluride-based thermoelectric materials are significantly influenced by crystallographic orientation and microstructure engineering. Thin-film materials are proper candidates for the study of structure-property relationship due to abundant microstructures. However, comprehensive studies on thin-film thermoelectric materials remain insufficient. Here, we synthesize p-type Bi _0.5Sb _1.5Te ₃ thin films via magnetron sputtering and followed by heat treatment. Preferential growth orientation of thin films exhibits a strong dependence on deposition conditions, allowing targeted orientation engineering through process parameter optimization. A high sputtering pressure of 3 Pa produces Bi _0.5Sb _1.5Te ₃ thin films with preferred in-plane orientation. The post-heat treatment enables precise regulation of electron-phonon coupling efficiency by engineering defect configurations. The dislocation density was reduced after annealing, and anti-site defects can also be tuned to optimized carrier concentration and mobility. After the heat annealing process under 400°C, a super high <i>zT</i> value of 1.49 was achieved at 313 K in Bi _0.5Sb _1.5Te ₃ thin film. </p>

Elastic thermoelectric generators

Revealing unipolar thermoelectric performance in bipolar polymer

<p xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" class="first" dir="auto" id="d10034242e292">Conjugated polymers are attracting increased attention as thermoelectric (TE) materials for energy harvesting applications in low-temperature regimes. However, in many doped ambipolar polymers, the simultaneous transport of both holes and electrons under temperature gradients leads to an offset in thermopower ( <i>S</i>), which suppresses TE performance and complicates intrinsic understanding of bipolar TE conversion. Herein, we quantitatively investigate the p-n polarity transition in FeCl ₃-doped bipolar PDPP4T films by measuring the magneto-thermoelectric Nernst effect, combined with Hall and Seebeck effect analyses. Notably, behind the <i>S =</i> 0 point, we observe a significant thermopower offset originating from the balancing contributions of electrons and holes. This countervailing thermopower value is extracted to reach 400 μV K ⁻¹, which could ideally produce an estimated maximum unipolar ZT of 0.24 at 175 K, due to rising polaron states and reduced carrier concentration. Our findings reveal the extraordinary hidden unipolar TE performance achievable in doped bipolar polymer towards ultra-low-temperatures thermoelectric. </p>

Quantum Boundaries: The Rise of Hybrid Thermoelectrics | Geekoo

A revolutionary hybrid material developed by TU Wien researchers promises to transform waste heat into electricity more efficiently than ever before, opening new avenues for sustainable energy solutions.

Beyond batteries: Researchers bring body-heat powered wearable devices closer to reality

A QUT-led research team has developed an ultra-thin, flexible film that could power next-generation wearable devices using body heat, eliminating the need for batteries.

Thermoelectric Heating Comes In From the Cold

The alternative to heat pumps stands at the brink of commercialization

Thermoelectric Heating Comes In From the Cold

The alternative to heat pumps stands at the brink of commercialization

Thermoelectric properties of In1Co4Sb12+δ: role of in situ formed InSb precipitates, Sb overstoichiometry, and processing conditions

In-filled skutterudites InxCo4Sb12 have attracted much attention due to their relatively high thermoelectric performance, which, in turn, is attributed to the In atoms acting as rattlers in the skutterudite voids and to the formation of InSb precipitates when the In solubility limit is exceeded (0.22 ⩽ xmax