Review: thermoelectric fibers—material design, performance enhancement, and emerging applications
摘要
With the rapid surge in global energy demand and accelerated energy structure transformation, thermoelectric materials have become a focal point in green energy research owing to their unique direct thermal-to-electrical energy conversion capability. To address the requirements of wearable electronics for flexibility and breathability, thermoelectric fibers—leveraging weavability and three-dimensional structural advantages—overcome the limitations of conventional bulk materials (rigidity and brittleness) and thin-film devices (inefficient vertical temperature gradient utilization). This review systematically summarizes recent advancements in thermoelectric fibers: inorganic fibers achieve synergistic enhancement of high thermoelectric figure of merit and mechanical flexibility through interface engineering and microstructural regulation; organic fibers exhibit a breakthrough in power factor via post-treatment and doping optimization; carbon-based and composite fibers balance thermoelectric performance and flexibility through multicomponent synergistic effects. Despite their potential in wearable electronics, medical monitoring, and environmental energy harvesting, large-scale applications remain hindered by the efficiency-flexibility trade-off, high fabrication costs, and insufficient cycling stability. Future research should prioritize eco-friendly material design, cost-effective scalable fabrication, and multi-scenario integration technologies to advance the industrialization of thermoelectric fibers in smart wearable technologies and sustainable energy systems.