Energy materials are a type of material that has a lot of chemical energy stored in it that can be released. Energy materials are a large category of materials that can be used for energy conversion and transmission. Advanced Energy Materials encompasses batteries, fuel cells, photovoltaics, magnetic refrigeration, hydrogen technologies, supercapacitors, photocatalysis, thermoelectrics and solar power technologies.
The development of energy-harvesting technology requires innovative materials. Thermoelectric materials, pyroelectric materials, piezoelectric materials, and magnetic materials are among the potential micro- and nano-scale energy-harvesting materials (including single crystals, polymers, ceramics and composites) and technologies now being explored.