Thermal Energy Materials Group

Thermoelectric (TE) materials & devices represent the direct solid-state conversion of heat to electricity and vice versa. Novel TE devices are expected to contribute to energy saving & carbon neutral via waste-heat power generation, and also as stand-alone power sources for IoT, and also expand Peltier cooling applications. Our group is bringing this closer to reality by discovering novel principles for enhancing TE performance (e.g. utilizing defect engineering, magnetism, topological insulators, phonon localization, etc.) to overcome traditional tradeoffs between electronic and thermal properties. Also developing complementary device technology (e.g. novel active electrodes, device design, etc.) and thermal management technology. TE materials & devices surpassing long-time champion bismuth telluride have been achieved.