Metal Oxide-Based Thermoelectric Materials

Thus far the top-performing thermoelectric materials have included toxic elements or materials that are not abundant or expensive and difficult to produce. Consequently metal oxide materials are now being investigated as potential thermoelectric materials. Metal Oxide-Based Thermoelectric Materials reviews the characteristics of metal oxide materials in comparison to other materials utilized for thermoelectric applications. In particular, there is discussion of the intrinsic advantages of metal oxide materials such as their chemical and thermal stability, environmental friendliness, cheap raw material costs, and chemical flexibility. In addition, the book includes information on their high-temperature stability, adjustable electronic and phonon transport behavior, and well-established simple production processes. Strategies to enhance the thermoelectric properties of metal oxide materials are emphasized in the book. Finally, emerging applications of metal oxide-based thermoelectrics are touched on with an overview of the remaining challenges and opportunities towards commercial translation. Metal oxide-based thermoelectric materials is a suitable reference book for researchers and scientists in academia and R&D in the subject areas of materials science and engineering and energy. - Introduces basic principles of thermoelectricity, thermoelectric materials, and performance enhancement strategies to improve thermoelectric properties - Discusses the advances in metal oxides for thermoelectrics including structural engineering to improve their performance - Reviews potential applications of metal-oxide thermoelectrics in energy conversion, harvesting, generation, refrigeration and cooling, and sensing