Evaluating Thermal and Electrical Properties of Quantum Materials for Energy Applications

Abstract

Quantum materials have emerged as promising candidates for next generation energy technologies because their electronic states, lattice vibrations, and magnetic excitations can be engineered in ways impossible for classical solids. This research evaluates the thermal and electrical properties of selected quantum materials with the aim of determining their suitability for energy conversion and storage applications. Materials such as topological insulators, layered transition metal dichalcogenides, and strongly correlated oxides exhibit unusual carrier mobility, tunable band structures, and low thermal conductivity that could improve thermoelectric generators, solid state batteries, and superconducting power devices. However, systematic assessment methods that connect microscopic quantum behavior to macroscopic energy performance remain limited. The present study develops an integrative evaluation framework combining experimental characterization, theoretical modeling, and multivariate statistical validation. Samples of bismuth telluride alloys, molybdenum disulfide thin films, and lanthanum strontium copper oxide ceramics were synthesized using controlled deposition and sintering techniques. Electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, carrier concentration, and thermal diffusivity were measured across temperature ranges relevant to energy systems. SmartPLS modeling was employed to validate relationships between crystal quality, defect density, phonon scattering, and overall energy efficiency indicators. Results demonstrate that quantum confinement and interface engineering can simultaneously enhance electrical transport while suppressing lattice thermal conductivity, leading to significant improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit. The study further reveals that microstructural stability mediates the relationship between intrinsic quantum properties and device level performance. The research contributes to energy materials science by offering a quantitative index that links fundamental quantum descriptors with application-oriented metrics. Practical implications include guidelines for material selection in waste heat recovery modules and high efficiency power electronics. The findings emphasize that successful energy deployment requires balancing competing properties rather than maximizing a single parameter. Future work should extend the framework to two dimensional heterostructures and explore machine learning assisted discovery of novel compounds. By uniting quantum physics with engineering evaluation, this study supports the transition toward cleaner and more efficient energy technologies.