Magneto-enhanced electro-thermal conversion performance

Synergistically regulating carrier and phonon transport on the nanoscale is extremely difficult for all thermoelectric (TE) materials without cage structures. Herein BaFe12O19/Bi2Te25Se0.5 thermoelectromagnetic nanocomposites are designed synthesized as a benchmarking example to simultaneously tailor properties nanoscale. A magneto-trapped effect induced by BaFe12O19 hard-magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) discovered, which can lower concentration of n-type Bi2Te2.5Se0.5 matrix 16%, increase Seebeck coefficient 16%. Meanwhile, NPs provide scattering centers reduce thermal conductivity 12%. As result, ZT value enhanced more than 25% in range 300–450 K, cooling temperature difference increases 65% near room temperature. This work greatly broadens commercial application potential Bi2Te2.5Se0.5, demonstrates universal strategy enhance electro-thermal conversion performance TE with high concentration.