Flexible thermoelectrics based on 3D interconnected magnetic nanowire networks

3D networks of ferromagnetic (FM) nanowires fabricated by direct electrodeposition into the crossed nanopores of polymer templates are effective thermoelectric materials. The interconnected nanowire networks are formed from pure metals, alloys, and FM/Cu multilayers. Giant magneto-Seebeck effects in multilayer nanowires allow the determination of key parameters in spin caloritronics such as spin-dependent Seebeck coefficients and can be exploited to design flexible thermoelectric switches with optimal magnetic field-induced control of the sign and magnitude of the thermoelectric power output. Homogeneous nanowire arrays exhibit extremely high thermoelectric power factors that make them effective materials as flexible active Peltier coolers for thermal management of hot spots.