Disorder by design: high-entropy oxides as next generation thermoelectric materials

Abstract

Recently, high entropy oxides have emerged as one of the most promising classes of materials for various functional applications, one of them being thermoelectricity. The unique high entropy approach can effectively reduce thermal conductivity through the introduction of atomic-level disorder, while also enhancing electrical transport by stabilizing the crystal structure. However, predicting optimal thermoelectric performance remains challenging due to the complex cocktail effect of these materials. This warrants a good understanding of thermodynamics and physical properties of these materials. The present article gives an overview of the recent progress in high entropy oxides for thermoelectric applications. We have demonstrated the thorough analysis of thermal and electrical transport in these high entropy oxides. Furthermore, we put forward a unified theory for thermodynamic calculation for obtaining the single-phase solid solution of high entropy oxides. This article offers an in-depth perspective on high entropy thermoelectric oxides, offering a valuable insight that will assist researchers in designing next generation high performance oxide thermoelectrics.