Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2025

Experimental Methods for Investigation of Shape Memory Based Elastocaloric Cooling Processes and Model Validation
Published on: May 2, 2016
Elastic Moduli: a Tool for Understanding Chemical Bonding and Thermal Transport in Thermoelectric Materials
Eleonora Isotta1, Wanyue Peng1, Ashiwini Balodhi1
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
Abstract:
The elastic behavior of a material can be a powerful tool to decipher thermal transport. In thermoelectrics, measuring the elastic moduli-directly tied to sound velocity-is critical to understand trends in lattice thermal conductivity, as well as study bond anharmonicity and phase transitions, given the sensitivity of elastic moduli to the chemical bonding. In this review, we introduce the basics of elasticity and explain the origin of high-temperature lattice softening from a bonding perspective. We then review elasticity data throughout classes of thermoelectrics, and explore trends in sound velocity, anharmonicity, and thermal conductivity. We reveal how experimental sound velocities can improve the accuracy of common thermal conductivity models and present a critical discussion of Grüneisen parameter estimates from elastic moduli. Readers will be equipped with tools to leverage elasticity measurements or calculations to accurately interpret thermal transport trends.
Related Concept Videos
Strain and Elastic Modulus
Strain-Energy Density
In the elastic region of a material, the relationship between the stress and the strain is linear and follows Hooke's Law. The strain energy density in this...
Bending of Members Made of Several Materials
Hooke's Law determines stress in each material, stating that stress is proportional to strain but varies due to each...
Relation between Poisson's ratio, Modulus of Elasticity and Modulus of Rigidity
Hooke's Law
Thermodynamic Potentials

