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Composite thermoelectric materials with embedded nanoparticles

  • Energy Materials & Thermoelectrics
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Abstract

The current status of the development of composite thermoelectric materials with embedded nanoparticles is reviewed. An introduction is given to the suggested mechanisms of improving thermoelectric properties by inclusions of nanoparticles and to experimental methods used to prepare such composites. The progress made in the development of thermoelectric materials with embedded nanoparticles is then covered, grouping the studies according to the optimal temperature range of operation of the materials investigated. Most studies have been devoted to materials within the medium temperature range, followed by low temperature materials, whereas high temperature materials have not yet received much attention within this area. In the majority of the materials systems studied, reports of improved thermoelectric performance upon introduction of nanoparticles in bulk thermoelectrics are found. However, for continued progress in this area, there is a need for systematic experimental studies that unambiguously correlate the resulting physical effects of the nanoinclusions to the measured materials properties.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Mistra, the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, through the E4-Mistra program, and thank its members for fruitful discussions. AECP enjoys support from the Swedish Research Council for a Senior Researcher position.

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  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Applied Surface Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Yi Ma, Richard Heijl & Anders E. C. Palmqvist

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  1. Yi Ma
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Correspondence to Anders E. C. Palmqvist.

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Ma, Y., Heijl, R. & Palmqvist, A.E.C. Composite thermoelectric materials with embedded nanoparticles. J Mater Sci 48, 2767–2778 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-6976-z

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