# Self-optimized contact in air-robust thermoelectric junction towards long-lasting heat harvesting

https://mdr.nims.go.jp/datasets/2cd787c5-840b-40cf-a37a-eb5279e27fbf

## File

- [Nature Communications---Self-optimized contact in air-robust thermoelectric junction facilitates long-lasting heat harvesting.pdf](https://mdr.nims.go.jp/filesets/db4f61ce-a771-4f90-b7b0-18539828ca53/download) ([Detail](https://mdr.nims.go.jp/filesets/db4f61ce-a771-4f90-b7b0-18539828ca53.md))

## Id

2cd787c5-840b-40cf-a37a-eb5279e27fbf

## Local identifier



## Visibility

open_to_public

## State

published

## Created at

2025-11-08T15:31:50.654265Z

## Updated at

2025-11-10T07:30:40.894365Z

## Published at

2025-11-10T07:25:04.306345Z

## Doi



## First published url

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56861-3

## Date published

2025-02-10

## Recorded date published



## Resource type

journal_article

## Manuscript type

vor

## Collection



## Title

- title: Self-optimized contact in air-robust thermoelectric junction towards long-lasting
    heat harvesting
  title_type: original
  lang: en

## Description

- description: Ensuring long-term reliable contacts in thermoelectric devices is particularly
    challenging due to their operation under high temperatures and has been one of
    the large obstacles in the field for application. Typically, thermodynamically
    driven atomic diffusion and reactions often degrade the contacts, leading to increased
    contact resistivity and ultimately limiting the device’s lifespan. Here, we report,
    for the first time, an unconventional self-optimized contact resistivity mechanism
    in the Sb/MgAgSb junction. Mg diffusion from MgAgSb to Sb does not degrade but
    instead optimizes its contact resistivity even after aging in air for 30 days.
    This unexpected automatic optimization arises from an increased carrier concentration
    in MgAgSb, which enhances electron tunneling across the interface, effectively
    reducing the resistivity. Leveraging the self-optimized contact resistivity in
    Sb/MgAgSb and stable thermoelectric performance of MgAgSb, a two-pair thermoelectric
    device employing 100-day air-aged Sb/MgAgSb achieves an impressive conversion
    efficiency of 8.1% and a rare power density of 4.1 W cm-2 under 294 K temperature
    gradient. These results underscore its significant potential for robust, long-term
    heat harvesting. The self-optimization mechanism identified in this work also
    offers valuable insights for designing future junctions for high-temperature applications.
  description_type: abstract
  lang: und

## Creator

- name: Airan Li
  role: author
  orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7318-4821
  organization: National Institute for Materials Science
- name: Longquan Wang
  role: author
  orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9910-9770
  organization: National Institute for Materials Science
- name: Jiankang Li
  role: author
  organization: National Institute for Materials Science
- name: Xinzhi Wu
  role: author
  organization: National Institute for Materials Science
- name: Takao Mori
  role: author
  orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2682-1846
  organization: National Institute for Materials Science

## Contact agent



## Publisher

organization: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

## Managing organization



## Keyword

- subject: thermoelectric
  schema: not_defined

## Rights

- identifier: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

## Other identifier(s)



## Data origin

- data_origin_type: other

## Embargo



## Journal

- title: Nature Communications
  issn: '20411723'
  volume: '16'
  issue: '1'
  article_number: '1502'

## Conference



## Related item



## Funding

- identifier: JPMJMI19A1
  funder_name: MEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agency

## Instrument



## Instrument operator



## Instrument managing organization



## Measurement method



## Specimen



## Chemical composition



## Structure for specimen



## Structural feature for specimen



## Specific property for specimen



## Process for specimen treatment



## Computational method



## Energy level/transition state



## Software



## Custom property



## Fileset

- id: db4f61ce-a771-4f90-b7b0-18539828ca53
  filename: Nature Communications---Self-optimized contact in air-robust thermoelectric
    junction facilitates long-lasting heat harvesting.pdf
  content_type: application/pdf
  size: 4079442
  md5: a44b0adbdab9a54d80e8835f754489e8

## Thumbnail

fileset_id: db4f61ce-a771-4f90-b7b0-18539828ca53
filename: Nature Communications---Self-optimized contact in air-robust thermoelectric
  junction facilitates long-lasting heat harvesting.pdf