ABSTRACT

As is so o en the case, it is materials with extreme properties that are the most sought a er. An extremely high thermal conductivity material could be used for cooling in microelectronic systems [26,28]. Materials with a low thermal conductivity could of course be used for thermal insulation [21], but also in the resurgent eld of thermoelectrics [8,16]. A “thermoelectric” is a short-hand term for a material that can be used to make a solid-state energy conversion device. Consider the case of a heat engine operating between hot and cold heat reservoirs. Instead of the usual gaseous working substance, we imagine placing a piece of solid between the two reservoirs. e temperature difference can then be used to drive the electrons in the solid from the hot to the cold reservoir, and hence around a circuit. e current in the circuit can then be used to do work.