Research Progress of Interfacial Design between Thermoelectric Materials and Electrode Materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Physics
• Energy Conversion

Background:

• Reliable interfacial joining of thermoelectric (TE) materials and electrodes is crucial for TE device manufacturing.
• Low interfacial contact resistance is essential for efficient thermoelectric energy conversion.
• Long-term reliability of TE modules depends on structural integrity, interdiffusion, and contact resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review interfacial joining strategies for various thermoelectric materials and electrode materials.
• To outline the roles of structural integrity, interdiffusion, and contact resistance in TE module reliability.
• To provide guidance for preparing TE devices and optimizing TE device design.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review of interfacial reactions and joining behaviors.
• Analysis of near-room-temperature (Bi2Te3-based) and mid-temperature (PbTe-based) thermoelectric materials.
• Recapitulation of joining attempts for SiGe, CoSb3, and Mg3Sb2 thermoelectric systems.

Main Results:

• Detailed review of interfacial reactions between common thermoelectric materials (Bi2Te3, PbTe, SiGe, CoSb3, Mg3Sb2) and electrode materials.
• Summary of joining behaviors and challenges for different thermoelectric material systems.
• Identification of factors affecting long-term reliability, including structural integrity and interdiffusion.

Conclusions:

• Understanding interfacial reactions is key to achieving low contact resistance and high reliability in TE devices.
• The review provides a comprehensive overview of current joining techniques and challenges.
• Future prospects focus on improving joint reliability for enhanced thermoelectric device manufacturing.