Thermoelectric materials show the thermoelectric effect in a strong or convenient form. The thermoelectric effect refers to phenomena by which either a temperature difference creates an electric potential or an electric potential creates a temperature difference. These phenomena are known more specifically as the Seebeck . This review summaries the thermoelectric phenomena, applications and parameter . They can be used for heat harvesting and refrigeration.
In a thermoelectric material there are free electrons or holes which carry both charge and heat. To a first approximation, the electrons and holes in a thermoelectric semiconductor behave like a gas of charged particles. If a normal ( uncharged) gas is placed in a box within a temperature gradient, where one side is cold and . Such a development is contingent on identifying materials with higher thermoelectric efficiency than available at present, . This property gives rise to two distinct technological applications: the development of temperature gradients for heating and cooling devices and the generation of electrical energy from . A material that can be used to convert thermal energy into electric energy or provide refrigeration directly from electric energy.
