Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userDistinctive Thermoelectric Properties of Supersaturated Si-Ge-P Compounds: Achieving Figure of Merit ZT > 3.6
73
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
The efficiency of energy conversion in thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is directly proportional to electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient while inversely to thermal conductivity. The challenge is to optimize these interdependent parameters simultaneously. In this work, the problem is addressed with a novel approach of nanostructuring and constructive electronic structure modification to achieve a very high value of dimensionless figure of merit ZT greater than 3.6 at 1000 K with negative Seebeck coefficient. Supersaturated solid-solutions of Si-Ge containing 1 atomic percent Fe and 10 atomic percent P are prepared by high-energy ball milling. The bulk samples consisting of ultra-fine nano-crystallites 9.7 nm are obtained by the sophisticated low-temperature & high-pressure sintering process. Despite that the electrical resistivity is slightly high due to the localization of electrons is associated with the highly disordered structure and low electrical density of states near the chemical potential, a very low thermal conductivity k{appa} less than 1 W m-1K-1 and very large magnitude of Seebeck coefficient exceeding 470 uV K-1 are achieved in association with the nanostructuring and the Fe 3d impurity states, respectively, to realize a very large magnitude of ZT.
rate research
Read More
Thermoelectric (TE) conversion in conducting materials is of eminent importance for providing renewable energy and solid-state cooling. Although traditionally, the Seebeck effect plays a key role for the TE figure of merit zST, it encounters fundamental constraints hindering its conversion efficiency. Most notably, there are the charge compensation of electrons and holes that diminishes this effect, and the intertwinement of the corresponding electrical and thermal conductivities through the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law which makes their independent optimization in zST impossible. Here, we demonstrate that in the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 the Nernst effect, i.e., the transverse counterpart of the Seebeck effect, can generate a large TE figure of merit zNT. At room temperature, zNT = 0.5 in a small field of 2 T; it significantly surmounts its longitudinal counterpart zST for any field and further increases upon warming. A large Nernst effect is generically expected in topological semimetals, benefiting from both the bipolar transport of compensated electrons and holes and their high mobilities. In this case, heat and charge transport are orthogonal, i.e., not intertwined by the WF law anymore. More importantly, further optimization of zNT by tuning the Fermi level to the Dirac node can be anticipated due to not only the enhanced bipolar transport, but also the anomalous Nernst effect arising from a pronounced Berry curvature. A combination of the former topologically trivial and the latter nontrivial advantages promises to open a new avenue towards high-efficient transverse thermoelectricity.
Dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit $ZT$ is investigated for two-dimensional organic conductors $tau-(EDO-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuI_2)_{1+y}$, $tau$-(EDT-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuI_2)_{1+y}$ and $tau$-(P-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuI_2)_{1+y}$ ($y le 0.875$), respectively. The $ZT$ values were estimated by measuring electrical resistivity, thermopower and thermal conductivity simultaneously. The largest $ZT$ is 2.7 $times$ 10$^{-2}$ at 155 K for $tau-(EDT-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuI_2)_{1+y}$, 1.5 $times$ 10$^{-2}$ at 180 K for $tau-(EDO-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuI_2)_{1+y}$ and 5.4 $times$ 10$^{-3}$ at 78 K for $tau-(P-S,S-DMEDT-TTF)_2(AuI_2)_{1+y}$, respectively. Substitution of the donor molecules fixing the counter anion revealed EDT-S,S-DMEDT-TTF is the best of the three donors to obtain larger $ZT$.
The influence of periodic edge vacancies and antidot arrays on the thermoelectric properties of zigzag graphene nanoribbons is investigated. Using the Greens function method, the tight-binding approximation for the electron Hamiltonian and the 4th nearest neighbor approximation for the phonon dynamical matrix, we calculate the Seebeck coefficient and the thermoelectric figure of merit. It is found that, at a certain periodic arrangement of vacancies on both edges of zigzag nanoribbon, a finite band gap opens and almost twofold degenerate energy levels appear. As a result, a marked increase in the Seebeck coefficient takes place. It is shown that an additional enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit can be achieved by a combination of periodic edge defects with an antidot array.
Half-Heusler alloys (MgAgSb structure) are promising thermoelectric materials. RNiSn half-Heusler phases (R=Hf, Zr, Ti) are the most studied in view of their thermal stability. The highest dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) obtained is ~1 in the temperature range ~450-900oC, primarily achieved in nanostructured alloys. Through proper annealing, ZT~1.2 has been obtained in a previous ZT~1 n-type (Hf,Zr)NiSn phase without the nanostructure. There is an appreciable increase in the power factor, decrease in charge carrier density, and increase in carrier mobility. The findings are attributed to the improvement of structural order. Present approach may be applied to optimize the functional properties of Heusler-type alloys.
The design of uranium-based thermoelectric materials presents a novel and intriguing strategy for directly converting nuclear heat into electrical power. Using high-level first-principles approach combined with accurate solution of Boltzmann transport equation, we demonstrate that a giant n-type power factor of 13.8 mW/mK^2 and a peak ZT value of 2.2 can be realized in the heavy-fermion UN2 compound at 700 K. Such promising thermoelectric performance arises from the large degeneracy (Nv=14) of heavy conduction band coupled with weak electron-phonon interactions, which is in principle governed by the strong Coulomb correlation among the partially filled U-5f electrons in the face-centered cubic structure. Collectively, our theoretical work suggests that the energetic UN2 is an excellent alternative to efficient radioisotope power conversion, which also uncovers an underexplored area for thermoelectric research.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
