Investigation of Tin Chalcogenides Thermoelectric Materials for Energy Conversion

The emerging global energy shortage and climate change have intensified interests in more effective means of power generation with clean energy sources. Thermoelectric materials can directly convert heat into electricity by imposing a temperature gradient between the hot and cold junction in the absence of any moving parts or liquid media. The heat can come from the combustion of fossil fuels, from sunlight, or as a by-product of various processes (i.e., combustion, chemical reactions, and nuclear decay), indicating thermoelectric materials can play a significant role in both primary power generation and energy conservation.