Thermoelectrocatalysis: Leveraging Thermoelectric Effects for Enhanced Catalytic Performance

Abstract

Thermoelectric materials, which convert thermal gradients into electricity, offer an energy conversion technology with zero emissions, rapid response, and high reliability. Catalysts, on the other hand, can accelerate chemical reactions by reducing activation energy without consuming themselves. These two technologies exhibit strong synergy, particularly in systems where waste heat can be harvested to enhance catalytic processes. This work presents a detailed discussion of the concept of thermoelectrocatalysis (TECatal), including the current state of the art, existing challenges and potential future solutions. Its potential applications in hydrogen generation, CO2 conversion, environmental disinfection, and cancer therapy are discussed in detail. This work also offers a comprehensive perspective on interdisciplinary research on TECatal in materials design, system-level integration, and performance optimization.