Inorganic Thermoelectric Materials: From Fundamental Concepts to Materials Design

Thermoelectric devices convert a heat flux directly into electrical power. They afford opportunities to achieve efficiency savings in a variety of applications, through the conversion of otherwise waste heat into useful electrical energy. Operated in reverse mode, they provide effective thermal management in areas ranging from cooling of electronic components to battery conditioning in electric vehicles. Implementation of thermoelectric technology requires materials with improved performance and stability, containing readily-available and inexpensive elements. A range of thermoelectric materials for use in different temperature regimes has emerged. Knowledge of the complex relationship between composition, structure and physical properties is central to understanding the performance of these advanced materials.

This book provides both an introduction to the field of thermoelectrics and a survey of the state-of-the-art. Chapters review the important new families of advanced materials that have emerged and taken the field beyond traditional thermoelectric materials such as Bi2Te3, PbTe and SiGe. The emphasis is on the relationship between chemical composition, structure over a range of length scales and the physical properties that underlie performance. Edited by a leader in the field, and with contributions from global experts, Inorganic Thermoelectric Materials serves as an introduction to thermoelectric materials and is accessible to advanced undergraduates and postgraduates, as well as experienced researchers