The thermoelectric power factor of a composite medium

The thermoelectric power factor P_e of a composite medium built of two serially connected planar components has been studied theoretically as a function of the volume fractions p₁,p₂=1-p₁. This simplest case of composition shows that P_e(p₁) can be enhanced to a maximum value that is greater than the power factors in both components if their thermoelectric properties satisfy certain algebraic inequalities, which are presented here. We have found that in a metal-thermoelectric composite, P_e(p_max) is achieved at a very small thermoelectric fraction p_max≪1 but at a relatively large composite figure of merit Δ_e