High-performance n-type flexible inorganic thermoelectric aerogel for energy harvesting

Despite their promise as lightweight, ultralow–thermal-conductivity thermoelectric (TE) materials, aerogels have been largely limited to p-type organic or carbon-based systems with modest zT < 0.1 at 300 kelvin. Here, we propose a stepwise synthesis strategy that yields the first inorganic aerogel exhibiting state-of-the-art n-type TE performance. Optimized aerogels with 95% porosity exhibit a high power factor of 34.8 microwatts per meter per square kelvin and an ultralow thermal conductivity of 0.061 microwatts per meter per kelvin, resulting in zT values of 0.17 at 300 kelvin and 0.24 at 383 kelvin. A vertical TE generator prototype with six TE-aerogel legs achieves a gravimetric output power of 76…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 52172194, 52202225
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2023YFB3809400
• BA
  Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province

  Award: 2024B1515040022