scholarly journals Recent Advances in Organic Thermoelectric Materials: Principle Mechanisms and Emerging Carbon-Based Green Energy Materials

Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinhang Zhang ◽  
Young-Jung Heo ◽  
Mira Park ◽  
Soo-Jin Park
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Thermoelectric Performance ◽  
Thermoelectric Devices ◽  
Energy Materials ◽  
Efficient Manner ◽  
Organic Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Carbon Based

Thermoelectric devices have recently attracted considerable interest owing to their unique ability of converting heat to electrical energy in an environmentally efficient manner. These devices are promising as alternative power generators for harvesting electrical energy compared to conventional batteries. Inorganic crystalline semiconductors have dominated the thermoelectric material fields; however, their application has been restricted by their intrinsic high toxicity, fragility, and high cost. In contrast, organic thermoelectric materials with low cost, low thermal conductivity, easy processing, and good flexibility are more suitable for fabricating thermoelectric devices. In this review, we briefly introduce the parameters affecting the thermoelectric performance and summarize the most recently developed carbon-material-based organic thermoelectric composites along with their preparation technologies, thermoelectric performance, and future applications. In addition, the p- and n-type carbon nanotube conversion and existing challenges are discussed. This review can help researchers in elucidating the recent studies on carbon-based organic thermoelectric materials, thus inspiring them to develop more efficient thermoelectric devices.

scholarly journals Flexible Organic Thermoelectric Materials and Devices for Wearable Green Energy Harvesting

Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinhang Zhang ◽  
Soo-Jin Park
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽  
Thermoelectric Performance ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Organic Polymers ◽  
Power Generators ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Inorganic Semiconductors ◽  
Organic Thermoelectric Materials

In the past few decades, organic thermoelectric materials/devices, which can exhibit remarkable potential in green energy conversion, have drawn great attention and interest due to their easy processing, light weight, intrinsically low thermal conductivity, and mechanical flexibility. Compared to traditional batteries, thermoelectric materials have high prospects as alternative power generators for harvesting green energy. Although crystalline inorganic semiconductors have dominated the fields of thermoelectric materials up to now, their practical applications are limited by their intrinsic fragility and high toxicity. The integration of organic polymers with inorganic nanoparticles has been widely employed to tailor the thermoelectric performance of polymers, which not only can combine the advantages of both components but also display interesting transport phenomena between organic polymers and inorganic nanoparticles. In this review, parameters affecting the thermoelectric properties of materials were briefly introduced. Some recently developed n-type and p-type thermoelectric films and related devices were illustrated along with their thermoelectric performance, methods of preparation, and future applications. This review will help beginners to quickly understand and master basic knowledge of thermoelectric materials, thus inspiring them to design and develop more efficient thermoelectric devices.

High thermoelectric performance in low-cost SnS0.91Se0.09 crystals

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 365 (6460) ◽  
pp. 1418-1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenke He ◽  
Dongyang Wang ◽  
Haijun Wu ◽  
Yu Xiao ◽  
Yang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Carrier Mobility ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermoelectric Performance ◽  
Tin Sulfide ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Earth Abundant

Thermoelectric technology allows conversion between heat and electricity. Many good thermoelectric materials contain rare or toxic elements, so developing low-cost and high-performance thermoelectric materials is warranted. Here, we report the temperature-dependent interplay of three separate electronic bands in hole-doped tin sulfide (SnS) crystals. This behavior leads to synergistic optimization between effective mass (m*) and carrier mobility (μ) and can be boosted through introducing selenium (Se). This enhanced the power factor from ~30 to ~53 microwatts per centimeter per square kelvin (μW cm−1 K−2 at 300 K), while lowering the thermal conductivity after Se alloying. As a result, we obtained a maximum figure of merit ZT (ZTmax) of ~1.6 at 873 K and an average ZT (ZTave) of ~1.25 at 300 to 873 K in SnS0.91Se0.09 crystals. Our strategy for band manipulation offers a different route for optimizing thermoelectric performance. The high-performance SnS crystals represent an important step toward low-cost, Earth-abundant, and environmentally friendly thermoelectrics.

Highly efficient functional GexPb1−xTe based thermoelectric alloys

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (37) ◽  
pp. 20120-20126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaniv Gelbstein ◽  
Joseph Davidow
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Energy Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Efficient Implementation ◽  
Thermoelectric Devices

Methods for enhancement of the direct thermal to electrical energy conversion efficiency, upon development of advanced thermoelectric materials, are constantly investigated mainly for an efficient implementation of thermoelectric devices in automotive vehicles, for utilizing the waste heat generated in such engines into useful electrical power and thereby reduction of the fuel consumption and CO2 emission levels.

Ternary Copper-Based Diamond-Like Semiconductors for Thermoelectric Applications

2009 ◽  
Vol 1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald T Morelli ◽  
Eric J. Skoug
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Waste Heat Recovery ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Direct Conversion ◽  
Thermoelectric Device ◽  
Climate Control

AbstractThermoelectric materials can provide sources of clean energy and increase the efficiency of existing processes. Solar energy, waste heat recovery, and climate control are examples of applications that could benefit from the direct conversion between thermal and electrical energy provided by a thermoelectric device. The widespread use of thermoelectric devices has been prevented by their lack of efficiency, and thus the search for high-efficiency thermoelectric materials is ongoing. Here we describe our initial efforts studying copper-containing ternary compounds for use as high-efficiency thermoelectric materials that could provide low-cost alternatives to their silver-containing counterparts. The compounds of interest are semiconductors that crystallize in structures that are variants of binary zincblende structure compounds. Two examples are the compounds Cu2SnSe3 and Cu3SbSe4, for which we present here preliminary thermoelectric characterization data.

scholarly journals Achieving High Thermoelectric Performance in Rare-Earth Element-Free CaMg2Bi2 with High Carrier Mobility and Ultralow Lattice Thermal Conductivity

Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muchun Guo ◽  
Fengkai Guo ◽  
Jianbo Zhu ◽  
Li Yin ◽  
Qian Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
Carrier Mobility ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thermoelectric Performance ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Compatibility Factor ◽  
High Carrier Mobility ◽  
High Carrier

CaMg2Bi2-based compounds, a kind of the representative compounds of Zintl phases, have uniquely inherent layered structure and hence are considered to be potential thermoelectric materials. Generally, alloying is a traditional and effective way to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity through the mass and strain field fluctuation between host and guest atoms. The cation sites have very few contributions to the band structure around the fermi level; thus, cation substitution may have negligible influence on the electric transport properties. What is more, widespread application of thermoelectric materials not only desires high ZT value but also calls for low-cost and environmentally benign constituent elements. Here, Ba substitution on cation site achieves a sharp reduction in lattice thermal conductivity through enhanced point defects scattering without the obvious sacrifice of high carrier mobility, and thus improves thermoelectric properties. Then, by combining further enhanced phonon scattering caused by isoelectronic substitution of Zn on the Mg site, an extraordinarily low lattice thermal conductivity of 0.51 W m-1 K-1 at 873 K is achieved in (Ca0.75Ba0.25)0.995Na0.005Mg1.95Zn0.05Bi1.98 alloy, approaching the amorphous limit. Such maintenance of high mobility and realization of ultralow lattice thermal conductivity synergistically result in broadly improvement of the quality factor β. Finally, a maximum ZT of 1.25 at 873 K and the corresponding ZTave up to 0.85 from 300 K to 873 K have been obtained for the same composition, meanwhile possessing temperature independent compatibility factor. To our knowledge, the current ZTave exceeds all the reported values in AMg2Bi2-based compounds so far. Furthermore, the low-cost and environment-friendly characteristic plus excellent thermoelectric performance also make the present Zintl phase CaMg2Bi2 more competitive in practical application.

Tetrahedrites for Low Cost and Sustainable Thermoelectrics

2016 ◽  
Vol 257 ◽  
pp. 135-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
António Pereira Gonçalves ◽  
Elsa Branco Lopes ◽  
Judith Monnier ◽  
Eric Alleno ◽  
Claude Godart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Materials ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Thermoelectric Devices ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Thermoelectric Systems ◽  
Resistance To Oxidation

Sustainable development is the way to ensure the Human progress within the bounds of the ecological possible. In this context thermoelectric systems can play an important role. However, the price of most high-performance thermoelectric devices is high, mainly due to the use of expensive elements, which raised the interest for cheap thermoelectric materials. It is also clear that the production of competitive thermoelectric devices critically depends on other factors, like the manufacturing costs, and that the materials fabrication simplicity, reproducibility, and use of easy scale-up processes will also play a fundamental role.Tetrahedrites, with generic formula Cu10M2Sb4S13 (M = Cu, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn), are world spread sulfosalt minerals that crystallize in the cubic Cu12Sb4S13-type structure. They are environment friendly materials mainly formed by non-expensive elements. Recently, mineral based and synthetic tetrahedrites were considered as promising thermoelectric materials, with zT ~ 1 at T ~ 700 K. Though, tetrahedrite melts incongruently, the preparation of appropriate tetrahedrite samples usually requiring long-term annealing procedures. Here we present a set of systematic studies on the use of tetrahedrites as low-cost and sustainable thermoelectric materials. The raw material prices evaluation, the feasibility of rapid, scalable, cheap tetrahedrite preparation and their long term stability and resistance to oxidation under working conditions are highlighted.

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