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New doping method could boost the performance of organic semiconductors

Researchers at Concordia University have developed a new doping method that can create up to 100 times more mobile electrical charges in organic semiconductors, potentially making the material much more conductive. The degradation-assisted doping approach uses Lewis acids to break down and recycle dopants, improving the performance of ...

SourceConcordia University·JournalNature Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 18, 2026

Magnetic material with macroscale, three-dimensional formation of nano-interfaces that turn heat into electricity

Researchers developed a composite material with three-dimensional nano-interfaces, enabling thermoelectric conversion in a macroscale material. The spin Seebeck effect was successfully observed in an insulator, providing a new material design paradigm for thermal energy utilization.

SourceNational Institute for Materials Science, Japan·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 3, 2026

QUT breakthrough unlocks long-sought performance barrier for carbon nanotubes

Researchers at QUT have developed a new molecular strategy to prevent carbon nanotubes from clumping together, enabling a new benchmark for materials that convert heat directly into electricity. The breakthrough has the potential to create a new generation of higher-performing materials for harvesting energy from heat.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 19, 2026

Chiral phonons create orbital current via their own magnetism

Chiral phonons can generate orbital currents in common crystal materials without needing magnetic elements, offering a promising path to developing less expensive and energy-efficient orbitronic devices. This breakthrough is made possible by the intrinsic magnetism of chiral phonons, which allows them to convert into orbital current.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 21, 2026

N-type SnSe polycrystalline thermoelectric material: High performance enabled by liquid phase sintering

Researchers have optimized the thermoelectric performance of SnSe using liquid phase sintering, introducing excess metallic tin to fill intrinsic vacancies and reduce electron trapping. This process results in a lattice thermal conductivity as low as 0.21 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ at 793 K, achieving an exceptional ZT value of approximately 1.9.

SourceResearch·JournalResearch·TypeNews article·DateJan 6, 2026

Study reveals randomly aligned defects key to thermal properties

A QUT research team discovered that randomly aligned edge dislocations are responsible for the low thermal conductivity of certain materials. This finding provides a new design principle for creating materials with tailored thermal properties, which could improve efficiency in thermoelectric generators and thermal insulation.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 13, 2025

Extrinsic n‑doping of a double B←N bridged bipyridine-based polymer containing oligoethylene glycol side chains

The authors successfully endow a double B←N bridged bipyridine-based polymer with mixed conduction by incorporating oligoethylene glycol side chains, resulting in higher conductivity and capacitance. This breakthrough enhances the potential of n-type BNBP-based OMIEC materials for organic electronic devices.

SourceBeijing Zhongke Journal Publising Co. Ltd.·JournalPolymer Science & Technology·DateJul 11, 2025

Breakthrough in solar thermoelectric generation: organic radical photothermal cocrystals lead the way

Researchers have developed a new material, coronene-Br2 NDA cocrystal, which converts solar heat into electricity with an exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency of 67.2% under 808 nm irradiation. The material is integrated into a thermoelectric generator to achieve high-performance solar-thermoelectric energy harvesting.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2025

New hybrid materials as efficient thermoelectrics

Researchers developed new hybrid materials with reduced lattice vibrations and increased mobility of charge carriers, achieving more than a 100% increase in efficiency. This breakthrough decouples heat and charge transport, enabling stable and cheaper thermoelectric materials that can compete with existing compounds.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 17, 2025

Ingenious atomic manipulation induced plainer lattice makes better thermoelectric cooler and power generator

Researchers have developed a new thermoelectric material by introducing copper atoms into commercial n-type Bi₂Te₃-based alloys. This enhances carrier mobility and improves the device's performance, resulting in higher power factor and ZT values. The study's findings hold promise for practical applications in power generation and cooling.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 10, 2025

Organic electrolyte for high output liquid thermoelectric converter

Researchers have developed a new strategy to increase the output of liquid thermoelectric converters using organic electrolytes. By breaking down electrolyte resistance into its components, they reduced resistance and demonstrated a prototype with equal or greater output than aqueous solutions. The team plans to expand their search for...

SourceIndustrial Chemistry & Materials·JournalIndustrial Chemistry and Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 19, 2024

Enhancing transverse thermoelectric conversion performance in magnetic materials with tilted structural design

Researchers developed artificial materials with improved transverse magneto-thermoelectric conversion performance through structural design. The findings provide new guidelines for designing materials and new ways to utilize the anomalous Nernst effect for practical applications.

SourceNational Institute for Materials Science, Japan·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 12, 2024

SNU researchers develop technology to optimize organic thermoelectric device performance using machine learning

Researchers at Seoul National University have developed a machine learning-based design of experiments method that optimizes the performance and process conditions of organic thermoelectric devices, enabling efficient evaluation of key variables and reducing experimental time. The technology has the potential to significantly improve d...

Understanding the thermoelectric transport properties of organic semiconductors through the perspective of polarons

Researchers investigated the thermoelectric transport properties of organic semiconductors using a polaronic charge conduction model. They linked experimental observations to build a unified picture of thermoelectric transport physics in organic semiconductors, showcasing promising applications like thermoelectric radiation sensing.

SourceAdvanced Devices & Instrumentation·JournalAdvanced Devices & Instrumentation·TypeNews article·DateNov 26, 2024

Energy localization in three-dimensional nanostructure

A novel 3D tubular photothermoelectric detector was designed and fabricated, demonstrating enhanced light absorption and heat localization. This leads to improved photo-thermo-electric conversion, resulting in high sensitivity, wide spectral response range, and omni-directional detection capabilities.

Revolutionizing thermoelectric technology: Hourglass-shaped materials achieve a 360% efficiency boost

Researchers at POSTECH have developed an innovative approach to enhance the efficiency of thermoelectric materials by altering their geometry to resemble an hourglass shape. This breakthrough could lead to widespread applications in thermoelectric power generation, converting waste heat into electricity.

A Ted Talk in thermo detection

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University propose locally embedded thermoelectric devices (TEDs) to actively cool hot spots in circuits. TEDs remove heat from hot spots using thermoelectric effects, improving cooling efficiency by a factor of 100 compared to conventional materials.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 12, 2024

Carbon nanotube yarns generate electricity from waste heat

Researchers at Okayama University have developed a novel method to produce carbon nanotube yarns with excess electrons that can harvest waste heat. The yarns achieved high thermoelectric power factors within temperatures ranging from 30 to 200 °C, making them suitable for practical applications such as fabric-based modules.

SourceOkayama University·JournalSmall Methods·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 25, 2024

Powering wearable devices with high-performing carbon nanotube yarns

Scientists at Nara Institute of Science and Technology create flexible wearable thermoelectric generators that produce electricity from body heat using high-performing carbon nanotube yarns. The yarns, developed through a low-cost and environmentally friendly method, show three times higher power factor than previous CNT yarns.

SourceNara Institute of Science and Technology·JournalACS Applied Nano Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

Exceptionally large transverse thermoelectric effect produced by combining thermoelectric and magnetic materials

A team of researchers has created a thermoelectric composite that exhibits a substantially larger transverse thermoelectric effect than existing magnetic materials, enabling the development of simpler thermoelectric devices. The device achieved a maximum output voltage of 15.2 μV/K, approximately six times larger than expected.

SourceNational Institute for Materials Science, Japan·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 13, 2024

DGIST develops thermoelectric material with optimal cost, efficiency, and flexibility! Pioneering a new era in eco-friendly thermoelectric technology

A team at DGIST has developed an 'Inorganic-Organic Thermoelectric Composite' that promises competitive pricing while addressing efficiency and flexibility challenges in thermoelectric technology. The breakthrough is expected to revolutionize traditional industries and pave the way for advancements in new sectors.

SourceDGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateMar 28, 2024

Towards realizing eco-friendly and high-performance thermoelectric materials

Researchers developed inverse-perovskite-based thermoelectric materials with low lattice thermal conductivity and high power factor, promising eco-friendly alternatives to toxic heavy element-based materials. The materials exhibit high energy conversion efficiency, comparable to toxic elements in the same temperature range.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalAdvanced Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 11, 2024

Glass packaging with a mix of thermoelectric in the vias

Researchers have developed a thermal management technique for photonic packages using glass substrates and thermoelectric vias, enabling precise temperature control. The technology, termed SimTEC, combines through glass vias partially filled with copper and thermoelectric materials to reduce thermal resistance between chips.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Optical Microsystems·DateJan 10, 2024

Golden future for thermoelectrics

Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have discovered a new metallic alloy of nickel and gold that exhibits exceptional thermoelectric properties, enabling high electrical power generation. The alloy outperforms conventional semiconductors in terms of power density and thermoelectric efficiency.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 18, 2023

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory restores cold sensation in amputees’ phantom limbs

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory developed a wearable thin-film thermoelectric cooler that enables amputees to perceive temperature sensations in their phantom limbs. The technology has practical applications for improved prostheses, haptics, and pain management.

SourceJohns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeObservational study·DateJul 27, 2023

Front cover highlights "innovative approach" of research into 2D materials

Lancaster University researchers have developed a novel scanning thermal microscopy approach to directly measure the heat conductivity of two-dimensional materials. This breakthrough enables the creation of efficient waste heat scavengers generating cheap electricity, new compact fridges, and advanced optical and microwave sensors and ...

SourceLancaster University·JournalAdvanced Materials Interfaces·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2023

Turning waste heat into energy

The team created a thermocell using a hydrogel that reacted to temperature changes, converting latent heat into electricity. This breakthrough supports the idea that various materials can be used for thermoelectric conversion, potentially reducing reliance on other energy sources and improving cooling systems.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2023

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology researchers enhance thermoelectricity with guided impurity position control

Researchers at GIST have developed an IDT-based polymer with low thermal conductivity and high electronic conductivity, improving thermoelectric performance. The new material demonstrates a 6-fold increase in efficiency compared to conventional materials.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalChemistry of Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 3, 2023

Towards more efficient and eco-friendly thermoelectric oxides with hydrogen substitution

Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered a new approach to improve the performance of thermoelectric materials by substituting hydrogen for oxygen. This substitution reduces thermal conductivity while maintaining high electronic conductivity, leading to improved thermoelectric conversion efficiency.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 18, 2023

WVU lab’s game-changing high-performance semiconductor material could help slash heat emissions

A team led by Xueyan Song at West Virginia University has created an oxide ceramic material that solves a longstanding efficiency problem plaguing thermoelectric generators. The breakthrough achieved record-high performance, opening up new research directions to further increase performance and enabling large-scale waste heat recovery.

SourceWest Virginia University·JournalRenewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews·DateMar 14, 2023