Unified framework shows thermoelectric performance depends on more than the material itself

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Add as preferred source Schematic overview of electrical measurements used to probe thermoelectric materials and devices. Credit: Yasuhiro Hasegawa, Saitama University Thermoelectric materials can directly convert heat into electricity, making them promising for recovering waste heat from factories, vehicles and other sources. They can also transport heat when an electric current is applied through a phenomenon known as the Peltier effect. These properties have attracted considerable interest in energy-saving technologies and thermal management.

However, the performance of a thermoelectric device is not determined by the thermoelectric material alone. Electrodes, lead wires and the way heat escapes from the device to its surroundings—known as heat leakage—can also strongly influence its behavior.