Thermoelectric applications

With its wide gap in its forbidden band, low thermal conductivity, and high thermoelectric power, boron carbide is being investigated for high-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion (see Ch. 8, Sec. 5.0). 

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We note also ternary alkaline earth materials suitable for high-temperature thermoelectric applications, such as... 

I lcurial et al., 1996). This discovery greatly increased the interest in these materials for thermoelectric applications. In addition to the stoichiometric filled skutterudite compounds of the form RM4X12, a large number of related alloys were also investigated as possible thermoelectric materials. Most of the research on lanthanide skutterudites in the context of thermoelectric applications has been reviewed recently by Uher (2001), Nolas et al. (1999), and Sales (1998) and hence only a brief summary of the thermoelectric research will be highlighted in this section. 

There is obviously a particular need to develop materials which can function at high temperatures. Due to their strong covalent bonding, boron cluster compounds generally possess attractive mechanical properties as materials, e.g. stability under high temperature due to their high melting points (typically >2300 K), chemical stability, resistance to acidic conditions, and small compressibility. Furthermore, importantly, the B12 icosahedra compounds have also been found to have intrinsic low thermal conductivity, as will be discussed in detail in later sections, and which is desirable for thermoelectric applications. 

George S. Nolas, Glen A. Slack, and Sandra B. Schujman, Semiconductor Clathrates A Phonon Glass Electron Crystal Material with Potential for Thermoelectric Applications... 

S. Joseph Poon, Electronic and Thermoelectric Properties of Half-Heusler Alloys Terry M. Tritt, A. L. Pope, and J. W. Kolis, Overview of the Thermoelectric Properties of Quasicrystalline Materials and Their Potential for Thermoelectric Applications Alexander C. Ehrlich and Stuart A. Wolf, Military Applications of Enhanced Thermoelectrics David J. Singh, Theoretical and Computational Approaches for Identifying and Optimizing Novel Thermoelectric Materials... 

M. S. Dresselhaus, Y.-M. Lin, T. Koga, S. B. Cronin, O. Rabin, M. R. Black, and G. Dresselhaus, Quantum Wells and Quantum Wires for Potential Thermoelectric Applications D. A. Broido and T. L. Reinecke, Thermoelectric Transport in Quantum Well and Quantum Wire Superlattices G. D. Mahan, Thermionic Refrigeration... 

Eairbanks, J. W. Vehicular Thermoelectrics Applications Overview http //wwwl.eere.energy. 

In this paper, we investigate the use of EC-ALE to synthesize thin films of CoSb phases with an aim toward the production of layered structures of these materials for use in thermoelectric applications. If successful, such an approach will lead to thin films with enhanced thermoelectric efficiencies, while at the same time keeping the production cost of the device low. 

After many years of development, coordination polymers was discovered that is promising thermoelectric materials for high performance devices in 2012 (Sun et al., 2012). A series of coordination polymers have been synthesized (Fig. 5.5). More detail information of these coordination polymers for thermoelectric generator is summarized in a recent review (Zhang et al., 2014a). An all-polymer thermoelectric generator shown in Fig. 5.4B-C was fabricated based on the as-synthesized polymers. This kind of polymers has expanded the selection of polymer materials in thermoelectric applications. 

Culebras, M., GdMez, C.M. S Cantarero, A., 2014. Review on polymers for thermoelectric applications. Materials 7, 6701-6732. 

Schlitz, RA., Brunetti, EG., Glaudell, AM., Miller, RL., Brady, M A., Takacs, C.J., Hawker, C.J., Chabmyc, M.L., 2014. Solubility-limited extrinsic n-type doping of a high electron mobUity polymer for thermoelectric applications. Adv. Mater. 26,2825-2830. 

In summary, CPs offer numerous advantages over inorganic semiconductors for thermoelectric applications because of their unique properties. However, the poor electrical transport properties have impeded their practical application as TE materials in the past. Recent studies indicate that incorporating the inorganic nanoparticle into polymer matrix is an effective way to improve the electrical transport properties of CPs, including electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, while keep the thermal conductivity at low level simultaneously. Consequently, the power factors of most CP-based nanocomposites are about 2 3 orders of magnitude higher than those of conventional pure CPs and the maximum ZT value is up to 0.1 at present. 

G.S. Nolas, J.L. Cohn, G.A. Slack, S.B. Schjuman, Semiconducting Ge clathrates promising candidates for thermoelectric applications. Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 178-180 (1998)... 

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