Importance of high power factor in thermoelectric materials for power generation application: A perspective. (15th January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Weishu; Kim, Hee Seok; Jie, Qing; Ren, Zhifeng
• Is Part Of: Scripta materialia. Volume 111(2016)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2016-01-15
• Subjects: Thermoelectric -- Power factor -- Figure of merit -- (PF)eng -- (ZT)eng; Materials -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Metalen; Legeringen; Materiaalkunde; Metals, metalworking and machinery industries; Metals; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2015.07.045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6462

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: The figure of merit ( ZT ) has been used for more than half a century to guide the research of thermoelectric materials. In this perspective viewpoint, we emphasize that the power factor ( PF ) is more important than the thermal conductivity for thermoelectric power generation for a given ZT . We also propose the newly defined engineering parameters ( ZT ) eng and ( PF ) eng are the more practical indicators to show the temperature dependent efficiency and output power, as compared with conventional ZT and PF .