
Thermoelectric Materials
Thermoelectric materials are materials that can convert heat into electricity or vice versa. They are used in space and astronautical engineering to power spacecraft and satellites, as well as in thermoelectric generators for deep space missions. These materials work by exploiting the Seebeck effect, which is the conversion of a temperature difference into electricity. The efficiency of thermoelectric materials is measured by their figure of merit, which is a function of their electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and Seebeck coefficient. Researchers are constantly searching for new thermoelectric materials that have high figure of merit values, as this would lead to more efficient energy conversion. Some of the most promising thermoelectric materials for space applications include skutterudites, half-Heusler compounds, and chalcogenides.
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