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Sustainable Thermoelectric Materials and Energy Conversion Systems

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 260

Special Issue Editor

Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
Interests: sustainable energy; thermoelectric materials; devices and systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global energy crisis and environmental challenges have intensified the need for sustainable energy technologies. Thermoelectric materials and systems, capable of directly converting between thermal and electrical energy, represent a promising solution for clean energy generation and efficient energy utilization. However, in order to develop genuinely sustainable thermoelectric solutions, performance metrics and environmental impact must be evaluated throughout their lifecycle.

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research on sustainable thermoelectric materials and energy conversion systems. We welcome contributions that address both the technical advancement and sustainability of thermoelectric technologies. This includes innovative approaches to material design, green synthesis methods, device optimization, and system integration, all while considering environmental impact and resource efficiency.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Development and characterization of sustainable thermoelectric materials;
  • Green synthesis and eco-friendly manufacturing processes;
  • Lifecycle assessment of thermoelectric materials and devices;
  • Material recycling strategies and circular economy approaches;
  • Environmental impact evaluation of thermoelectric systems;
  • Energy payback time analysis for thermoelectric devices;
  • Bulk and thin-film thermoelectric materials (experimental and theoretical studies);
  • Computer-aided design incorporating sustainability metrics;
  • System integration with renewable energy sources;
  • Waste heat recovery applications with environmental benefits;
  • Resource-efficient production methods;
  • Novel device architectures for improved sustainability;
  • Performance optimization considering environmental constraints;
  • Integration of thermoelectric systems in sustainable energy networks.

We invite researchers, engineers, and practitioners to contribute original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and perspective papers that advance our understanding of sustainable thermoelectric technologies.

Dr. Chun-I Wu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermoelectric materials
  • sustainable energy conversion
  • green manufacturing
  • lifecycle assessment
  • waste heat recovery
  • environmental impact
  • resource efficiency
  • energy harvesting

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 1309 KiB  
Article
Effects of Ni Doping on Thermoelectric Properties of Chalcopyrite
by Hyeokmin Kwon and Il-Ho Kim
Materials 2025, 18(12), 2738; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18122738 - 11 Jun 2025
Viewed by 179
Abstract
Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) has attracted interest as a thermoelectric material due to its narrow bandgap and its ability to tailor its carrier concentration through doping. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ni2+ substitution at Cu+ sites in chalcopyrite [...] Read more.
Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) has attracted interest as a thermoelectric material due to its narrow bandgap and its ability to tailor its carrier concentration through doping. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ni2+ substitution at Cu+ sites in chalcopyrite (Cu1−xNixFeS2) on its structural, microstructural, and thermoelectric properties. Samples were synthesized using mechanical alloying followed by hot pressing to ensure high-density compaction. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of the tetragonal chalcopyrite phase without detectable secondary phases. The observed reduction in lattice parameters with increasing Ni content provided evidence of successful Ni incorporation at Cu sites within the chalcopyrite structure. Microstructural analysis and elemental mapping further supported the uniform distribution of Ni within the chalcopyrite matrix. Thermoelectric property measurements revealed that Ni-doped chalcopyrite exhibited n-type conduction. As the Ni concentration increased, the carrier concentration and electrical conductivity increased significantly, with Cu0.92Ni0.08FeS2 achieving the highest electrical conductivity of 2.5 × 104 Sm−1 at 723 K. However, the absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient decreased with increasing Ni doping, following the expected trade-off between electrical conductivity and thermopower. The optimized composition, Cu0.96Ni0.04FeS2, exhibited the highest thermoelectric performance, with a power factor of 0.50 mWm−1K−2 and a maximum dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of 0.18 at 623 K. Compared to undoped chalcopyrite, these enhancements represent a 43% increase in power factor and a 50% improvement in ZT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Thermoelectric Materials and Energy Conversion Systems)
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