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Thermoelectric (TE) materials possess unique energy conversion capabilities between heat and electrical energy. Small organic semiconductors have aroused widespread attention for the fabrication of TE devices due to their advantages of low toxicity, large area, light weight, and easy fabrication. However, the low TE properties hinder their large‐scale commercial application. Herein, the basic knowledge about TE materials, including parameters affecting the TE performance and the remaining challenges of the organic thermoelectric (OTE) materials, are initially summarized in detail. Second, the optimization strategies of power factor, including the selection and design of dopants and structural modification of the dope‐host are introduced. Third, some achievements of p‐ and n‐type small molecular OTE materials are highlighted to briefly provide their future developing trend; finally, insights on the future development of OTE materials are also provided in this study.

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Limitations to photosynthesis were examined for Encelia farinosa Toney et A.Gray, a common C3 sub-shrub in arid regions of south-westem United States, for plants grown in full sunlight and those shaded to 40% of full sunlight. The initial slopes of CO2 assimilation (A) versus intercellular CO2 concentration curves were similar for sun and shade plants at low photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) but higher for sun plants as the PPFD increased, indicating a greater limitation by carboxylation capacity in shade plants. Sun plants had higher electron transport rates but a lower ratio of electron transport capacity to carboxylation capacity (Vmax); the ratio was inversely proportional to mesophyll conductance for both sun and shade plants. Dark respiration decreased with decreasing leaf water potential (Ψ1) in sun plants but remained unchanged in shade plants; day respiration was little affected by PPFD for both sun and shade plants. Stomatal conductance (gs) was similar for sun and shade plants under high soil-moisture conditions but higher in sun plants as Ψ1 decreased; for all data considered together, changes in the leaf-air vapour pressure difference accounted for 71% of the variation in gs. The lower A for shade plants of E. farinosa apparently resulted from a lower Vmax, as well as a lower gs when plants were under water stress.