He Ran, Ying Pingjun, Chen Shuo, Ren Zhifeng, Nielsch Kornelius
Institute for Metallic Materials, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Dresden, Germany.
Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Houston, USA.
MRS Bull. 2025;50(8):956-965. doi: 10.1557/s43577-025-00939-2. Epub 2025 Jun 30.
Thermoelectric technology has emerged as a promising solution for direct heat-to-electricity conversion and solid-state cooling, offering great energy efficiency and environmental impact advantages. However, conventional systems predominantly rely on tellurium-based materials, which are limited by scarcity, high cost, and environmental concerns. This article focuses on tellurium-free thermoelectric modules, with an emphasis on magnesium-based alternatives, including -type MgAgSb and -type Mg(Sb, Bi), which demonstrate competitive performance at operating temperatures below 300℃. By exploring recent advances in material synthesis, module fabrication, and interface engineering, we highlight the potential of these sustainable materials to achieve high thermoelectric figures of merit while reducing environmental impact. Additionally, the article assesses the performance metrics and durability of these modules and discusses emerging applications in energy harvesting, medical devices, consumer electronics, and more. Finally, we outline future research directions aimed at overcoming remaining challenges, including long-term stability and scalable manufacturing, to pave the way for the widespread adoption of tellurium-free thermoelectric technology.
Potential application scenarios of Mg-based Te-free thermoelectric technology.
热电技术已成为一种有前景的直接热-电转换和固态冷却解决方案，具有很高的能源效率和环境影响优势。然而，传统系统主要依赖碲基材料，这些材料受到稀缺性、高成本和环境问题的限制。本文重点关注无碲热电模块，着重介绍镁基替代材料，包括n型MgAgSb和p型Mg(Sb, Bi)，它们在低于300℃的工作温度下表现出具有竞争力的性能。通过探索材料合成、模块制造和界面工程方面的最新进展，我们强调了这些可持续材料在实现高热电优值的同时减少环境影响的潜力。此外，本文评估了这些模块的性能指标和耐久性，并讨论了在能量收集、医疗设备、消费电子产品等方面的新兴应用。最后，我们概述了旨在克服剩余挑战（包括长期稳定性和可扩展制造）的未来研究方向，为无碲热电技术的广泛应用铺平道路。
基于镁的无碲热电技术的潜在应用场景。
