Which mechanism limits efficiency when converting waste heat to electricity using thermoelectric generators with phase change materials?

💡 Explanation

During waste heat conversion, phase change materials absorb and release latent heat, lagging behind temperature changes and creating thermal hysteresis, thus reducing the temperature gradient across the thermoelectric generator and limiting its efficiency. Therefore latent heat induced hysteresis results, rather than high conductivity, Joule heating or contact resistance which are separately induced factors.

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