Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
A theoretical study of composite thermoelectric media has resulted in the development of a number of simple approximations, as well as some exact results. The latter include exact upper and lower bounds on the bulk effective thermoelectric transport coefficients of the composite and upper bounds on the bulk effective thermoelectric quality factor Ze. In particular, as a result of some exact theorems and computer simulations we conclude that Ze can never be greater than the largest value of Z in the different components that make up the composite.