Thermoelectric Materials Based on Tetrahedrite Structure for Thermoelectric Devices

Professor Vidvuds Ozolins and colleagues have devised a new class of lightweight and low-cost compounds for thermoelectric devices. Traditionally, thermoelectric materials are comprised of elements that are toxic, and of low abundance. This technology utilizes earth-abundant, light atomic mass compounds with tetrahedrite structures to produce high-efficiency thermoelectrics via basic, scalable processing techniques. The technology has potential applications in numerous energy-related industries, including automotive and solar cells.