Constructing of highly porous thermoelectric structures with improved thermoelectric performance

Abstract

As more than 60% of worldwide consumed energy is unused and becomes waste heat every year, high-efficiency waste heat to power technologies are highly demanded for the conversion of wasted heat to electricity. Thermoelectrics which can convert the wasted heat directly into electricity represent a promising approach for energy recovery. Thermoelectric technology has existed for several decades, but its usage has been limited due to low efficiencies. Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the improving of thermoelectric properties which open up the thermoelectrics’ feasibility in industry. In this paper, we present an overview of recent progress in increasing the porosity of thermoelectric materials from atomic scale to microscale, leading to the enhancement of figure of merit. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]