This book provides a benchmark for the state of the field of thermoelectric materials research and development. Highlights of the volume include results on superlattices that show a ZT = 2.4 at room temperature in p-type Bi2Te3/Sb2Te3 superlattice thermoelectrics. In addition, preliminary results on p-n couple devices from these superlattices indicate fast-acting spot cooling in addition to improved performance. Thermoelectric materials are utilized in a wide variety of applications related to solid-state refrigeration or small-scale power generation. The book focuses on traditional thermoelectric materials new materials as well as developments in device engineering. Many papers presented here revolve around either maximizing the numerator of Z, called the power factor, or by minimizing l. Topics include: guidance to advanced thermoelectric research; skutterudites; new materials, approaches and measurements; clathrates; chalcogenides; devices; thermoelectric materials and devices - research and development; nanowires and oxides.

An in-depth analysis of thermoelectric theory, an overview of present day thermoelectric materials and devices, and updated information on the most studied thermoelectric materials development. The main emphasis is on a basic understanding of the concepts as well as experimental techniques needed to propel researchers towards new and novel classes of thermoelectric materials with enhanced properties.

Environmental and economic concerns have significantly spurred the search for novel, high-performance thermoelectric materials for energy conversion in small-scale power generation and refrigeration devices. This quest has been mainly fueled by the introduction of new designs and the synthesis of new materials. In fact, good thermoelectric material

Ten years ago, D.M. Rowe introduced the bestselling CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics to wide acclaim. Since then, increasing environmental concerns, desire for long-life electrical power sources, and continued progress in miniaturization of electronics has led to a substantial increase in research activity involving thermoelectrics. Reflecting the latest trends and developments, the Thermoelectrics Handbook: Macro to Nano is an extension of the earlier work and covers the entire range of thermoelectrics disciplines. Serving as a convenient reference as well as a thorough introduction to thermoelectrics, this book includes contributions from 99 leading authorities from around the world. Its coverage spans from general principles and theoretical concepts to material preparation and measurements; thermoelectric materials; thermoelements, modules, and devices; and thermoelectric systems and applications. Reflecting the enormous impact of nanotechnology on the field-as the thermoelectric properties of nanostructured materials far surpass the performance of conventional materials-each section progresses systematically from macro-scale to micro/nano-scale topics. In addition, the book contains an appendix listing major manufacturers and suppliers of thermoelectric modules. There is no longer any need to spend hours plodding through the journal literature for information. The Thermoelectrics Handbook: Macro to Nano offers a timely, comprehensive treatment of all areas of thermoelectrics in a single, unified reference.

This volume: Chemistry, Physics and Materials Science of Thermoelectric Materials: Beyond Bismuth Telluride contains a series of topical articles that were presented as invited lectures by prominent leaders in this field at a workshop held in Traverse City, Michigan in the summer of 2002. These articles place the state of the art, regarding design principles, candidate materials and systems and current advances in context and should serve as a useful source of insights into this field for both beginning students and practitioners alike.

Thermoelectrics is the science and technology associated with thermoelectric converters, that is, the generation of electrical power by the Seebeck effect and refrigeration by the Peltier effect. Thermoelectric generators are being used in increasing numbers to provide electrical power in medical, military, and deep space applications where combinations of their desirable properties outweigh their relatively high cost and low generating efficiency. In recent years there also has been an increase in the requirement for thermoelectric coolers (Peltier devices) for use in infrared detectors and in optical communications. Information on thermoelectrics is not readily available as it is widely scattered throughout the literature. The Handbook centralizes this information in a convenient format under a single cover. Sixty of the world's foremost authorities on thermoelectrics have contributed to this Handbook. It is comprised of fifty-five chapters, a number of which contain previously unpublished material. The contents are arranged in eight sections: general principles and theoretical considerations, material preparation, measurement of thermoelectric properties, thermoelectric materials, thermoelectric generation, generator applications, thermoelectric refrigeration, and applications of thermoelectric cooling. The CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics has a broad-based scope. It will interest researchers, technologists, and manufacturers, as well as students and the well-informed, non-specialist reader.

Comprising two volumes, Thermoelectrics and Its Energy Harvesting reviews the dramatic improvements in technology and application of thermoelectric energy with a specific intention to reduce and reuse waste heat and improve novel techniques for the efficient acquisition and use of energy. This volume, Modules, Systems and Applications in Thermoelectrics, discusses the practical, novel, and truly groundbreaking applications of thermoelectrics in a range of markets. The book details the U.S. interest in alternative energy and energy harvesting, specifically, the current efforts to use thermoelectric generators (TGs) to reduce emissions. Internationally, it expounds on the strong interest in Japan, Korea and Europe to incorporate TGs in cars to reduce fuel consumption and meet EU carbon dioxide emission targets; the European plans to build an isotopic powered thermoelectric generator; and India’s use of TG s in converting hot water from steel mills into electricity.

The measure of a thermoelectric material is given by the material's figure of merit. For over three decades the best thermoelectric materials had a ZT = 1. Recently, however, there are reports of new methods of materials synthesis that result in improvements beyond this performance. In addition, rapid characterization, as well as faster theoretical modeling of thermoelectric materials, has resulted in a more rapid evaluation of new materials. This book offers a look at these results and provides a benchmark for the current state in the field of thermoelectric materials research and development. The focus is on new and innovative directions that will lead to the next generation thermoelectric materials for small-scale refrigeration and power generation applications. The book emphasizes the multidisciplinary nature of the research needed to advance the science and technology of the field. Both theoretical and experimental studies are featured. Topics include: low-dimensional systems and nanocomposites; devices; oxides; skutterudites; complex bulk materials and measurements; novel approaches; and thermoelectric materials and technology.

Introduction to Thermoelectricity is the latest work by Professor Julian Goldsmid drawing on his 55 years experience in the field. The theory of the thermoelectric and related phenomena is presented in sufficient detail to enable researchers to understand their observations and develop improved thermoelectric materials. The methods for the selection of materials and their improvement are discussed. Thermoelectric materials for use in refrigeration and electrical generation are reviewed. Experimental techniques for the measurement of properties and for the production of thermoelements are described. Special emphasis is placed on nanotechnology which promises to yield great improvements in the efficiency of thermoelectric devices. Chapters are also devoted to transverse thermoelectric effects and thermionic energy conversion, both techniques offering the promise of important applications in the future.

As concerns with the efficient use of energy resources, and the minimization of environmental damage have come to the fore, there has been a renewed interest in the role that thermoelectric devices could play in generating electricity from waste heat, enabling cooling via refrigerators with no moving parts, and many other more specialized applications. The main problem in realizing this ambition is the rather low efficiency of such devices for general applications. This book deals with the proceedings of a workshop addressed that problems by reviewing the latest experimental and theoretical work on suitable materials for device applications and by exploring various strategies that might increase their efficiency. The proceedings cover a broad range of approaches, from the experimental work of fabricating new compounds through to theoretical work in characterizing and understanding their properties. The effects of strong electron correlation, disorder, the proximity to metal-insulator transitions, the properties of layered composite materials, and the introduction of voids or cages into the structure to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity are all explored as ways of enhancing the efficiency of their use in thermoelectric devices.