We show that thermoelectric materials can function as electrocatalysts and use thermoelectric voltage generated to initiate and boost electrocatalytic reactions. The electrocatalytic activity is promoted by the use of nanostructured thermoelectric materials in a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by the thermoelectricity generated from induced temperature gradients. This phenomenon is demonstrated using two-dimensional layered thermoelectric materials Sb₂Te₃ and Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ where a current density approaching ∼50 mA/cm² is produced at zero potential for Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ in the presence of a temperature gradient of 90 °C. In addition, the turnover frequency reaches to 2.7 s^–1 at 100 mV under this condition which was zero in the absence of temperature gradient. This result adds a new dimension to the properties of thermoelectric materials which has not been explored before and can be applied in the field of electrocatalysis and energy generation.

中文翻译：

---

热电增强电催化

我们表明，热电材料可以充当电催化剂，并利用产生的热电电压来引发和促进电催化反应。通过在纳米析出反应（HER）中使用纳米结构的热电材料，通过诱导的温度梯度产生的热电来促进电催化活性。这种现象被使用二维层状热电材料的Sb证明₂碲₃和Bi _0.5 Sb的_1.5碲₃其中电流密度接近〜50毫安/厘米²在零电位产生用于铋_0.5的Sb _1.5碲₃在90°C的温度梯度存在下。此外，在这种情况下，在100 mV的条件下，周转频率达到2.7 s ^–1，在没有温度梯度的情况下，周转频率为零。该结果为热电材料的性能增加了新的维度，这是以前从未探索过的，可以应用于电催化和能量产生领域。