Equations · equation
Thermoelectric Figure of Merit
Thermoelectrics · 1949
- Equation
- zT = S²·σ·T / κ
- Field
- Thermoelectrics
- Named After
- Abram Ioffe
- Year
- 1949
Symbols
S Seebeck coefficient · σ electrical conductivity · κ thermal conductivity · T absolute temperature · dimensionless — bigger is better, and above ~1 is device-worthy
Significance
The materials-hunt scorecard: a good thermoelectric conducts electricity like a metal but heat like a glass — a contradiction to engineer around. Radioisotope generators score just well enough to power Voyager and the Mars rovers on decay heat, decades from the Sun.
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