To bring current thermoelectric (TE) materials achievement into a device for power generation, a full understanding of their dynamic behavior under operating conditions is needed. Here, an in operando study is conducted on the high‐performance TE material β‐Zn₄Sb₃ under large temperature gradient and thermal cycling via a new approach using in situ transmission electron microscopy combined with characterization of the TE properties. It is found that after 30 thermal cycles in a low‐pressure helium atmosphere the TE performance of β‐Zn₄Sb₃ is maintained with the figure of merit, zT, value of 1.4 at 718 K. Under a temperature gradient of 380 K (T_hot = 673 K and T_cold = 293 K) operating for only 30 h, zinc whiskers gradually precipitate on the cold side of the β‐Zn₄Sb₃ leg. The dynamical evolution of Zn in the matrix of β‐Zn₄Sb₃ is found to be the source that leads to a high zT value by lowering of the thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity, but it is also the failure mechanism for the leg under these conditions. The in operando study brings deep insight into the dynamic behavior of nanostructured TE materials for tailoring future TE materials and devices with higher efficiency and longer durability.

中文翻译：

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高性能热电材料在发电中的应用研究：以β-Zn4sb3为例

为了将当前的热电（TE）材料成果应用于发电设备，需要全面了解其在工作条件下的动态行为。这里，在operando研究在高性能的TE材料β-Zn系中进行₄的Sb ₃下大的温度梯度和热循环通过使用原位透射电子显微镜与TE特性的表征相结合的新方法。据发现，在之后的低压氦气氛30个热循环β-Zn系的TE性能₄的Sb ₃被维持品质因数，zT值，在718 K的1.4值在380 K的温度梯度（T _hot = 673 K，Ť_冷= 293K）为仅30小时运行，锌晶须对β-Zn系的冷侧逐渐沉淀₄的Sb ₃的腿。Zn的β-Zn组成的基质中的动态演化₄的Sb ₃被发现是源极，导致高的zT由热导率和电阻率的下降值，但它也可用于在这些腿的失效机理条件。进行中的研究深入了解了纳米结构TE材料的动态行为，从而可以以更高的效率和更长的使用寿命定制未来的TE材料和设备。