SYMPOSIUM 4: Advanced Materials for Thermoelectric and Thermionic Energy Conversion, and Integrated Thermal Management

Thermoelectric power generation relies on a thermally induced electrical current in an all-solid-state device. Thermionic energy conversion similarly utilizes a temperature gradient to generate electrical power, although materials research and device applications remain less mature compared to thermoelectrics. In addition to energy conversion, materials that enable integrated control of heat transport are increasingly critical for high-power and micro electronics, energy systems, and extreme environments. In these technologies, performance depends on the transport of charge carriers and lattice vibrations within the materials. 

Broader applications of thermoelectric and thermionic devices together with integrated thermal management strategies are expected as new materials systems, improved processing strategies, and deeper understanding of transport phenomena continue to emerge. Advances in materials design, band structure engineering, phonon transport modulation, microstructure control, and device integration are essential to achieving higher performance and operational stability. 

Computational approaches, including first-principles calculations, high-throughput screening, and data-driven methodologies, provide powerful tools to guide the discovery and optimization of materials for thermoelectric, thermionic, and thermal management applications. 

This symposium aims to bring together researchers across materials systems and disciplines to discuss recent progress and future directions in thermoelectric and thermionic energy conversion with integrated thermal management. 

Proposed Session Topics 

• Materials development for thermoelectric and thermionic energy conversion for power generation and cooling with integrated heat-flow control 

• Emerging thermoelectric and thermionic materials across intermetallic, chalcogenide, oxide, organic, and hybrid systems  

• Organic thermoelectric materials and organic–inorganic hybrid architectures 

• Flexible, low-dimensional, and mechanically compliant thermoelectric materials and devices 

• Porous, hierarchical, and nanostructured thermoelectric/thermionic materials 

• Electronic and phononic band structure engineering, nanostructure design, superlattices, and 2D materials 

• Transport phenomena in thermoelectric and thermionic materials, including experimental and theoretical approaches to coupled electrical and thermal transport 

• Structure–property relationships, thermodynamics, and solid-state defect chemistry 

• Stability, mechanical behavior, and performance under operating conditions 

• Electrical and thermal contact phenomena and interface effects in thermoelectric/thermionic systems and integrated heat-transfer interfaces 

• First-principles design, density functional theory, and computational approaches for materials discovery 

• Data-driven methodologies, machine learning, and high-throughput screening for materials optimization 

• High thermal conductivity ceramics and composites for integrated heat spreading and dissipation 

• Phonon engineering for controlled heat conduction or thermal insulation 

• Processing strategies and microstructure control in thermoelectric materials for coupled energy conversion and heat management 

• Device fabrication, module design, and system integration 

• Miniaturized, integrated, and application-oriented thermoelectric devices with embedded thermal management functionalities 

• System-level applications in power generation, sensing, and integrated thermal regulation in electronic and energy systems 

Symposium Organizers 

• Hyun-Sik Kim, University of Seoul, Republic of Korea 

• Michitaka Ohtaki, Kyushu University, Japan 

• Eleonora Isotta, Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials, Germany 

• Armin Feldhoff, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany 

• Sunmi Shin, National University of Singapore, Singapore 

• Takayoshi Katase, Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan 

• Mona Zebarjadi, University of Virginia, USA 

• Umut Aydemir, Koç University, Türkiye 

• Hugo Bouteiller, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA 

• Min-Wook Oh, Hanbat National University, Republic of Korea 

• Takao Mori, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan 

• Bed Poudel, The Pennsylvania State University, USA 

• G. Jeffrey Snyder, Northwestern University, USA 

Points of Contact  

• Hyun-Sik Kim; hyunsik.kim@uos.ac.kr 

• Michitaka Ohtaki; ohtaki@kyudai.jp 

• Eleonora Isotta; e.isotta@mpi-susmat.de 

• Armin Feldhoff; armin.feldhoff@pci.uni-hannover.de 

• Sunmi Shin; mpeshin@nus.edu.sg