Thermoelectric (TE) materials have the capability of converting heat into electricity, which can improve fuel efficiency, as well as providing robust alternative energy supply in multiple applications by collecting wasted heat, and therefore, assisting in finding new energy solutions. In order to construct high performance TE devices, superior TE materials have to be targeted via various strategies. The development of high performance TE devices can broaden the market of TE application and eventually boost the enthusiasm of TE material research. This review focuses on major novel strategies to achieve high‐performance TE materials and their applications. Manipulating the carrier concentration and band structures of materials are effective in optimizing the electrical transport properties, while nanostructure engineering and defect engineering can greatly reduce the thermal conductivity approaching the amorphous limit. Currently, TE devices are utilized to generate power in remote missions, solar–thermal systems, implantable or/wearable devices, the automotive industry, and many other fields; they are also serving as temperature sensors and controllers or even gas sensors. The future tendency is to synergistically optimize and integrate all the effective factors to further improve the TE performance, so that highly efficient TE materials and devices can be more beneficial to daily lives.

中文翻译：

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高性能热电材料：进展及其应用

热电（TE）材料具有将热量转化为电能的能力，这可以提高燃料效率，并可以通过收集浪费的热量在多种应用中提供可靠的替代能源供应，从而帮助寻找新的能源解决方案。为了构建高性能的TE器件，必须通过各种策略来瞄准优质的TE材料。高性能TE器件的开发可以拓宽TE应用市场，并最终提高TE材料研究的热情。这篇综述着重于实现高性能TE材料及其应用的主要新颖策略。操纵材料的载流子浓度和能带结构可以有效地优化电传输性能，而纳米结构工程和缺陷工程可以大大降低热导率，使其接近非晶极限。当前，TE设备被用于在远程任务，太阳能热系统，可植入或可穿戴设备，汽车行业以及许多其他领域中发电。它们还用作温度传感器和控制器，甚至是气体传感器。未来的趋势是协同优化和整合所有有效因素，以进一步提高TE性能，从而使高效的TE材料和设备对日常生活更加有益。它们还用作温度传感器和控制器，甚至是气体传感器。未来的趋势是协同优化和整合所有有效因素，以进一步提高TE性能，从而使高效的TE材料和设备对日常生活更加有益。它们还用作温度传感器和控制器，甚至是气体传感器。未来的趋势是协同优化和整合所有有效因素，以进一步提高TE性能，从而使高效的TE材料和设备对日常生活更加有益。