A High-Performance Solution-Processable Hybrid Thermoelectric Material

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon K. Yee ◽  
Nelson Coates ◽  
Jeffrey J. Urban ◽  
Arun Majumdar ◽  
Rachel A. Segalman
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Conducting Polymer ◽  
Thermoelectric Material ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Solution Processable ◽  
Electrical Generation

Thermoelectrics have the potential to become an alternative power source for distributed electrical generation as they could provide co-generation anywhere thermal gradients exist. More recent material and manufacturing advances have further suggested that thermoelectrics could independently generate primary power [1]. However, due to cost, manufacturability, abundance, and material performance, the full potential of thermoelectrics has yet to be realized. In the last decade, thermoelectric material improvements have largely been realized by diminishing thermal conductivities via nanostructuring without sacrificing performance in electrical transport [2]. An alternative approach is to decouple and optimize the electrical conductivity and thermopower using the unique properties of organic-inorganic interfaces [3]. One method to do this could leverage the electrical properties of a conducting polymer in combination with the thermoelectric proprieties of an inorganic semiconductor in such a way that the interaction between these materials breaks mixture theory. Furthermore, it is expected that the thermal conductivity of this hybrid material would be low due to the inherent vibration mode mismatch between polymers and inorganics. Previously, we have developed a method for producing a solution-processable thermoelectric material suitable for thin film applications using a hybrid polymer-inorganic systems consisting of crystalline tellurium nanowires coated in a thin layer of a conducting polymer (i.e., PEDOT:PSS) [4]. The interfacial properties could be realized in bulk and films demonstrate enhanced transport properties beyond those of either component. More recently, we have been able to significantly improve the thermoelectric properties of these materials by morphological and chemical modifications. Here, we present our methodology and experimental transport properties of this new material where the thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and thermopower predictably vary as a function of composition, size, and the structural conformation caused by the solvent. The mechanism for these improvements is currently under investigation, but experimental results suggest that transport is dominated by interfacial phenomena. Furthermore, experiments suggest that both the electrical conductivity and thermopower can be independently increased without appreciably increasing the thermal conductivity. These improvements, in concert with the solution processable nature of this material, make it ideal for new thermoelectric applications.

scholarly journals Enhanced Thermoelectric Characteristics of Ag2Se Nanoparticle Thin Films by Embedding Silicon Nanowires

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3072
Author(s):  
Seunggen Yang ◽  
Kyoungah Cho ◽  
Sangsig Kim
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Thermoelectric Material ◽  
Silicon Nanowires ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Conductivity Measurement ◽  
Thermoelectric Generators ◽  
Seebeck Coefficients ◽  
Thermal Conductivities

A solution-processable Ag2Se nanoparticle thin film (NPTF) is a prospective thermoelectric material for plastic-based thermoelectric generators, but its low electrical conductivity hinders the fabrication of high performance plastic-based thermoelectric generators. In this study, we design Ag2Se NPTFs embedded with silicon nanowires (SiNWs) to improve their thermoelectric characteristics. The Seebeck coefficients are −233 and −240 µV/K, respectively, for a Ag2Se NPTF alone and a Ag2Se NPTF embedded with SiNWs. For the Ag2Se NPTF embedded with SiNWs, the electrical conductivity is improved from 0.15 to 18.5 S/m with the embedment of SiNWs. The thermal conductivities are determined by a lateral thermal conductivity measurement for nanomaterials and the thermal conductivities are 0.62 and 0.84 W/(m·K) for a Ag2Se NPTF alone and a Ag2Se NPTF embedded with SiNWs, respectively. Due to the significant increase in the electrical conductivity and the insignificant increase in its thermal conductivity, the output power of the Ag2Se NPTF embedded with SiNWs is 120 times greater than that of the Ag2Se NPTF alone. Our results demonstrate that the Ag2Se NPTF embedded with SiNWs is a prospective thermoelectric material for high performance plastic-based thermoelectric generators.

scholarly journals Highly Textured N-Type SnSe Polycrystals with Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance

Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng-Peng Shang ◽  
Jinfeng Dong ◽  
Jun Pei ◽  
Fu-Hua Sun ◽  
Yu Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Thermoelectric Performance ◽  
Electrical Transport Properties ◽  
Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Out Of Plane ◽  
Thermoelectric Transport Properties

Thermoelectric materials, which directly convert heat into electricity based on the Seebeck effects, have long been investigated for use in semiconductor refrigeration or waste heat recovery. Among them, SnSe has attracted significant attention due to its promising performance in both p-type and n-type crystals; in particular, a higher out-of-plane ZT value could be achieved in n-type SnSe due to its 3D charge and 2D phonon transports. In this work, the thermoelectric transport properties of n-type polycrystalline SnSe were investigated with an emphasis on the out-of-plane transport through producing textural microstructure. The textures were fabricated using mechanical alloying and repeated spark plasma sintering (SPS), as a kind of hot pressing, aimed at producing strong anisotropic transports in n-type polycrystalline SnSe as that in crystalline SnSe. Results show that the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.36 Wm-1 K-1 was obtained at 783 K in perpendicular to texture direction. Interestingly, the electrical transport properties are less anisotropic and even nearly isotropic, and the power factors reach 681.3 μWm-1 K-2 at 783 K along both parallel and perpendicular directions. The combination of large isotropic power factor and low anisotropic thermal conductivity leads to a maximum ZT of 1.5 at 783 K. The high performance elucidates the outstanding electrical and thermal transport behaviors in n-type polycrystalline SnSe, and a higher thermoelectric performance can be expected with future optimizing texture in n-type polycrystalline SnSe.

scholarly journals Gold Nanoparticle-Mediated Noncovalent Functionalization of Graphene for Field-Effect Transistor

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongha Shin ◽  
Hwa Rang Kim ◽  
Byung Hee Hong
Keyword(s):  
Transport Properties ◽  
Gold Nanoparticle ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
Field Effect ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Field Effect Transistor ◽  
Electrical Transport Properties ◽  
Noncovalent Functionalization ◽  
Effect Transistor

Since of its first discovery, graphene has attracted much attention because of the unique electrical transport properties that can be applied to high-performance field-effect transistor (FET). However, mounting chemical functionalities...

scholarly journals Decoupling electron and phonon transport in single-nanowire hybrid materials for high-performance thermoelectrics

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (20) ◽  
pp. eabe6000
Author(s):  
Lin Yang ◽  
Madeleine P. Gordon ◽  
Akanksha K. Menon ◽  
Alexandra Bruefach ◽  
Kyle Haas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermal Transport ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Phonon Transport ◽  
Core Shell ◽  
Nanowire Diameter ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Polycrystalline Thin Films

Organic-inorganic hybrids have recently emerged as a class of high-performing thermoelectric materials that are lightweight and mechanically flexible. However, the fundamental electrical and thermal transport in these materials has remained elusive due to the heterogeneity of bulk, polycrystalline, thin films reported thus far. Here, we systematically investigate a model hybrid comprising a single core/shell nanowire of Te-PEDOT:PSS. We show that as the nanowire diameter is reduced, the electrical conductivity increases and the thermal conductivity decreases, while the Seebeck coefficient remains nearly constant—this collectively results in a figure of merit, ZT, of 0.54 at 400 K. The origin of the decoupling of charge and heat transport lies in the fact that electrical transport occurs through the organic shell, while thermal transport is driven by the inorganic core. This study establishes design principles for high-performing thermoelectrics that leverage the unique interactions occurring at the interfaces of hybrid nanowires.

scholarly journals Pressure-Induced Structural Phase Transition and Metallization in Ga2Se3 up to 40.2 GPa under Non-Hydrostatic and Hydrostatic Environments

Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 746
Author(s):  
Meiling Hong ◽  
Lidong Dai ◽  
Haiying Hu ◽  
Xinyu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Phase Transformation ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
Structural Phase ◽  
Structure Evolution ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Electrical Transport Properties

A series of investigations on the structural, vibrational, and electrical transport characterizations for Ga2Se3 were conducted up to 40.2 GPa under different hydrostatic environments by virtue of Raman scattering, electrical conductivity, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Upon compression, Ga2Se3 underwent a phase transformation from the zinc-blende to NaCl-type structure at 10.6 GPa under non-hydrostatic conditions, which was manifested by the disappearance of an A mode and the noticeable discontinuities in the pressure-dependent Raman full width at half maximum (FWHMs) and electrical conductivity. Further increasing the pressure to 18.8 GPa, the semiconductor-to-metal phase transition occurred in Ga2Se3, which was evidenced by the high-pressure variable-temperature electrical conductivity measurements. However, the higher structural transition pressure point of 13.2 GPa was detected for Ga2Se3 under hydrostatic conditions, which was possibly related to the protective influence of the pressure medium. Upon decompression, the phase transformation and metallization were found to be reversible but existed in the large pressure hysteresis effect under different hydrostatic environments. Systematic research on the high-pressure structural and electrical transport properties for Ga2Se3 would be helpful to further explore the crystal structure evolution and electrical transport properties for other A2B3-type compounds.

scholarly journals Transport Processes in Dense Stellar Plasmas

1994 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
pp. 394-419
Author(s):  
Naoki Itoh
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Neutron Stars ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Dense Matter ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Crystalline Lattice ◽  
Metal Phase ◽  
Current Status

AbstractTransport processes in dense stellar plasmas which are relevant to the interiors of white dwarfs and neutron stars are reviewed. The emphasis is placed on the accuracy of the numerical results. In this review we report on the electrical conductivity and the thermal conductivity of dense matter. The methods of the calculations are different for the liquid metal phase and the crystalline lattice phase. We will broadly review the current status of the calculations of the transport properties of dense matter, and try to give the best instructions available at the present time to the readers.

Designing Si/Si1−xGex Superlattices With Tailored Thermal Transport Properties

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Landry ◽  
A. J. H. McGaughey
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Experimental Study ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Phonon Transport ◽  
Atomistic Modeling ◽  
Electrical Transport Properties ◽  
Modeling Tools ◽  
Thermoelectric Energy

Si/Si1−xGex superlattices are promising candidates for thermoelectric energy conversion applications [1, 2], as the phonon transport through them can be inhibited while maintaining desirable electrical transport properties. No comprehensive experimental study has been performed to map the thermal conductivity design space accessible by Si/Ge nanocomposites. By using atomistic modeling tools, interesting areas of the design space can be identified and then further explored experimentally.

Computational Analysis of Strain Effects on Electrical Transport Properties of Crystalline Nanocomposite Thin Films

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Li ◽  
Gang Li
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Band Structure ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
Electronic Band Structure ◽  
Electrical Transport Properties ◽  
Electronic Band ◽  
Strain Effects ◽  
Nanocomposite Thin Films

In this work, we model the strain effects on the electrical transport properties of Si/Ge nanocomposite thin films. We utilize a two-band k·p theory to calculate the variation of the electronic band structure as a function of externally applied strains. By using the modified electronic band structure, electrical conductivity of the Si/Ge nanocomposites is calculated through a self-consistent electron transport analysis, where a nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) is coupled with the Poisson equation. The results show that both the tensile uniaxial and biaxial strains increase the electrical conductivity of Si/Ge nanocomposite. The effects are more evident in the biaxial strain cases.

scholarly journals Electrical Transport and Thermoelectric Properties of SnSe–SnTe Solid Solution

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 3854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Young Cho ◽  
Muhammad Siyar ◽  
Woo Chan Jin ◽  
Euyheon Hwang ◽  
Seung-Hwan Bae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Solid Solution ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Single Crystal ◽  
Carrier Concentration ◽  
Electrical Transport ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Phonon Scattering ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Defect Sites

SnSe is considered as a promising thermoelectric (TE) material since the discovery of the record figure of merit (ZT) of 2.6 at 926 K in single crystal SnSe. It is, however, difficult to use single crystal SnSe for practical applications due to the poor mechanical properties and the difficulty and cost of fabricating a single crystal. It is highly desirable to improve the properties of polycrystalline SnSe whose TE properties are still not near to that of single crystal SnSe. In this study, in order to control the TE properties of polycrystalline SnSe, polycrystalline SnSe–SnTe solid solutions were fabricated, and the effect of the solid solution on the electrical transport and TE properties was investigated. The SnSe1−xTex samples were fabricated using mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that the solubility limit of Te in SnSe1−xTex is somewhere between x = 0.3 and 0.5. With increasing Te content, the electrical conductivity was increased due to the increase of carrier concentration, while the lattice thermal conductivity was suppressed by the increased amount of phonon scattering. The change of carrier concentration and electrical conductivity is explained using the measured band gap energy and the calculated band structure. The change of thermal conductivity is explained using the change of lattice thermal conductivity from the increased amount of phonon scattering at the point defect sites. A ZT of ~0.78 was obtained at 823 K from SnSe0.7Te0.3, which is an ~11% improvement compared to that of SnSe.

scholarly journals Two-dimensional boron monochalcogenide monolayer for thermoelectric material

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 2363-2369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pushkar Mishra ◽  
Deobrat Singh ◽  
Yogesh Sonvane ◽  
Rajeev Ahuja
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Structure ◽  
Transport Properties ◽  
Thermoelectric Material ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Thermoelectric Devices ◽  
Potential Applications

We have investigated the electronic structure, vibrational and transport properties of boron chalcogenide BX (X = S, Se, Te) materials, which may have potential applications in high-performance thermoelectric devices.

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