Material candidates for thermally robust applications of selective thermophotovoltaic emitters

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices generate electric power from heat by using thermal emitters and photovoltaic effects. The radiation spectrum of the emitters impacts the power output and efficiency of the TPV device. Thus, sustainable TPV devices require emitters that are thermally robust and have the optimized radiation spectrum for the targeted wavelengths. Metals, due to their refractory and optical properties, are commonly used to make TPV emitters with wavelength-selective radiation. This work reviews the physical and chemical properties of 15 refractory metals and provides criteria for determining materials for TPV emitters.