Thermoelectric generators have attracted a wide research interest owing to their ability to directly convert heat into electrical power.Moreover,the thermoelectric properties of traditional inorganic and organic mater...Thermoelectric generators have attracted a wide research interest owing to their ability to directly convert heat into electrical power.Moreover,the thermoelectric properties of traditional inorganic and organic materials have been significantly improved over the past few decades.Among these compounds,layered two-dimensional(2D)materials,such as graphene,black phosphorus,transition metal dichalcogenides,IVA–VIA compounds,and MXenes,have generated a large research attention as a group of potentially high-performance thermoelectric materials.Due to their unique electronic,mechanical,thermal,and optoelectronic properties,thermoelectric devices based on such materials can be applied in a variety of applications.Herein,a comprehensive review on the development of 2D materials for thermoelectric applications,as well as theoretical simulations and experimental preparation,is presented.In addition,nanodevice and new applications of 2D thermoelectric materials are also introduced.At last,current challenges are discussed and several prospects in this field are proposed.展开更多
Electronic structures, which play a key role in determining electrical and optical properties of π-conjugated organic materials, have attracted tremendous interest. Efficient thermoelectric (TE) conversion of organic...Electronic structures, which play a key role in determining electrical and optical properties of π-conjugated organic materials, have attracted tremendous interest. Efficient thermoelectric (TE) conversion of organic materials has rigorous requirements on electronic structures. Recently, the rational design and precise modulation of electronic structures have exhibited great potential in exploring state-of-the-art organic TE materials. This review focuses on the regulation of electronic structures of organic materials toward efficient TE conversion. First, we present the basic knowledge regarding electronic structures and the requirements for efficient TE conversion of organic materials, followed by a brief introduction of commonly used methods for electronic structure characterization. Next, we highlight the key strategies of electronic structure engineering for high-performance organic TE materials. Finally, an overview of the electronic structure engineering of organic TE materials, along with current challenges and future research directions, are provided.展开更多
Thermoelectric materials have the ability to directly convert heat into electricity,which have been extensively studied for decades to solve global energy shortages and environmental problems.As a medium temperature(4...Thermoelectric materials have the ability to directly convert heat into electricity,which have been extensively studied for decades to solve global energy shortages and environmental problems.As a medium temperature(400-800 K)thermoelectric material,SnTe has attracted extensive attention as a promising substitute for PbTe due to its non-toxic characteristics.In this paper,the research status of SnTe thermoelectric materials is reviewed,and the strategies to improve its performance are summarized and discussed in terms of electrical and thermal transport properties.This comprehensive discussion will provides guidance and inspiration for the research on SnTe.展开更多
Nanostructuring, structure distortion, and/or disorder are the main manipulation techniques to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity and improve the figure of merit of thermoelectric materials. A single-phase α-MgA...Nanostructuring, structure distortion, and/or disorder are the main manipulation techniques to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity and improve the figure of merit of thermoelectric materials. A single-phase α-MgAgSb sample, MgAg0.97Sb0.99, with high thermoelectric performance in near room temperature region was synthesized through a high-energy ball milling with a hot-pressing method. Here, we report the average grain size of 24–28 nm and the accurate structure distortion, which are characterized by high-resolution neutron diffraction and synchrotron x-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement data analysis. Both the small grain size and the structure distortion have a contribution to the low lattice thermal conductivity in MgAg0.97Sb0.99.展开更多
Bismuth telluride（Bi2Te3） based alloys, such as p-type Bi（0.5）Sb（1.5）Te3, have been leading candidates for near room temperature thermoelectric applications. In this study, Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 bulk materials...Bismuth telluride（Bi2Te3） based alloys, such as p-type Bi（0.5）Sb（1.5）Te3, have been leading candidates for near room temperature thermoelectric applications. In this study, Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 bulk materials with MnSb2Se4 were prepared using high-energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering（SPS） process. The addition of MnSb2Se4 to Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 increased the hole concentration while slightly decreasing the Seebeck coefficient, thus optimising the electrical transport properties of the bulk material. In addition, the second phases of MnSb2Se4 and Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 were observed in the Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 matrix. The nanoparticles in the semi-coherent second phase of MnSb2Se4 behaved as scattering centres for phonons,yielding a reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. Substantial enhancement of the figure of merit, ZT, has been achieved for Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 by adding an Mn（0.8）Cu（0.2）Sb2Se4（2mol%） sample, for a wide range of temperatures, with a peak value of 1.43 at 375 K, corresponding to -40% improvement over its Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 counterpart. Such enhancement of the thermoelectric（TE） performance of p-type Bi2Te3 based materials is believed to be advantageous for practical applications.展开更多
Since the superior mechanical,chemical and physical properties of high-entropy alloys(HEAs)were discovered,they have gradually become new emerging candidates for renewable energy applications.This review presents the ...Since the superior mechanical,chemical and physical properties of high-entropy alloys(HEAs)were discovered,they have gradually become new emerging candidates for renewable energy applications.This review presents the novel applications of HEAs in thermoelectric energy conversion.Firstly,the basic concepts and structural properties of HEAs are introduced.Then,we discuss a number of promising thermoelectric materials based on HEAs.Finally,the conclusion and outlook are presented.This article presents an advanced understanding of the thermoelectric properties of HEAs,which provides new opportunities for promoting their applications in renewable energy.展开更多
N-type Si-based type-Ⅰ clathrates with different Ga content were synthesized by combining the solid-state reaction method,melting method and spark plasma sintering （SPS） method.The effects of Ga composition on high...N-type Si-based type-Ⅰ clathrates with different Ga content were synthesized by combining the solid-state reaction method,melting method and spark plasma sintering （SPS） method.The effects of Ga composition on high temperature thermoelectric transport properties were investigated.The results show that at room temperature,the carrier concentration decreases, while the carrier mobility increases slightly with increasing Ga content.The Seebeck coefficient increases with increasing Ga content. Among all the samples,Ba7.93Ga17.13Si28.72exhibits higher Seebeck coefficient than the others and reaches -135μV·K^-1 at 1000 K.The sample prepared by this method exhibits very high electrical conductivity,and reaches 1.95x 10^5 S·m^-1 for Ba8.01Ga16.61Si28.93 at room temperature.The thermal conductivity of all samples is almost temperature independent in the temperature range of 300-1000 K,indicating the behaviour of a typical metal.The maximum ZT value of 0.75 is obtained at 1000 K for the compound Ba7.93Ga17.13Si28.72.展开更多
Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT)has proved its quite competitive thermoelectric properties in flexible electronics with its excellent electrical and mechanical properties.Since the early discovery of PEDOT,cons...Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT)has proved its quite competitive thermoelectric properties in flexible electronics with its excellent electrical and mechanical properties.Since the early discovery of PEDOT,considerable experimental progress has been achieved in optimizing and improving the thermoelectric properties as a promising organic thermoelectric material(OTE).Among them,theoretical research has made significant contributions to its development.Here the basic physics of conductive PEDOT are reviewed based on the combination of theory and experiment.The purpose is to provide a new insight into the development of PEDOT,so as to effectively design and preparation of advanced thermoelectric PEDOT material in the future.展开更多
Since it was first proposed,the space solar power station(SSPS)has attracted great attention all over the world;it is a huge space system and provides energy for Earth.Although several schemes and abundant studies on ...Since it was first proposed,the space solar power station(SSPS)has attracted great attention all over the world;it is a huge space system and provides energy for Earth.Although several schemes and abundant studies on the SSPS have been proposed and conducted,it is still not realized.The reason why SSPS is still an idea is not only because it is a giant and complex project,but also due to the requirement for various excellent space materials.Among the diverse required materials,we believe energy materials are the most important.Herein,we review the space energy conversion materials for the SSPS.展开更多
The thermoelectric(TE)materials and corresponding TE devices can achieve direct heat-to-electricity conversion,thus have wide applications in heat energy harvesting(power generator),wearable electronics and local cool...The thermoelectric(TE)materials and corresponding TE devices can achieve direct heat-to-electricity conversion,thus have wide applications in heat energy harvesting(power generator),wearable electronics and local cooling.In recent years,aerogel-based TE materials have received considerable attention and have made remarkable progress because of their unique structural,electrical and thermal properties.In this review,the recent progress in both organic,inorganic,and composite/hybrid TE aerogels is systematically summarized,including the main constituents,preparation method,TE performance,as well as factors affecting the TE performance and the corresponding mechanism.Moreover,two typical aerogel-based TE devices/generators are compared and analyzed in terms of assembly modes and output performance.Finally,the present challenges and some tentative suggestions for future research prospects are provided in conclusion.展开更多
Organic semiconductors,especially polymer semiconductors,have attracted extensive attention as organic thermoelectric materials due to their capabilities for flexibility,low-cost fabrication,solution processability an...Organic semiconductors,especially polymer semiconductors,have attracted extensive attention as organic thermoelectric materials due to their capabilities for flexibility,low-cost fabrication,solution processability and low thermal conductivity.However,it is challenging to obtain high-performance organic thermoelectric materials because of the low intrinsic carrier concentration of organic semiconductors.The main method to control the carrier concentration of polymers is the chemical doping process by charge transfer between polymer and dopant.Therefore,the deep understanding of doping mechanisms from the point view of chemical structure has been highly desired to overcome the bottlenecks in polymeric thermoelectrics.In this contribution,we will briefly review the recently emerging progress for discovering the structure–property relationship of organic thermoelectric materials with high performance.Highlights include some achievements about doping strategies to effectively modulate the carrier concentration,the design rules of building blocks and side chains to enhance charge transport and improve the doping efficiency.Finally,we will give our viewpoints on the challenges and opportunities in the field of polymer thermoelectric materials.展开更多
We have systematically studied the thermoelectric properties in Zn-doped Sn Te.Strikingly,band convergence and embedded precipitates arising from Zn doping,can trigger a prominent improvement of thermoelectric perform...We have systematically studied the thermoelectric properties in Zn-doped Sn Te.Strikingly,band convergence and embedded precipitates arising from Zn doping,can trigger a prominent improvement of thermoelectric performance.In particular,the value of dimensionless figure of merit z T has increased by 100% and up to ～ 0.5 at 775 K for the optimal sample with 2% Zn content.Present findings demonstrate that carrier concentration and effective mass play crucial roles on the Seebeck coefficient and power factor.The obvious deviation from the Pisarenko line（Seebeck coefficient versus carrier concentration） due to Zn-doping reveals the convergence of valence bands.When the doping concentration exceeds the solubility,precipitates occur and lead to a reduction of lattice thermal conductivity.In addition,bipolar conduction is suppressed,indicating an enlargement of band gap.The Zn-doped Sn Te is shown to be a promising candidate for thermoelectric applications.展开更多
Strontium titanate（STO）is an n-type oxide thermoelectric material,which has shown great prospects in recent years.The doping of La and Nb into STO can improve its power factor,whereas its thermal conductivity is sti...Strontium titanate（STO）is an n-type oxide thermoelectric material,which has shown great prospects in recent years.The doping of La and Nb into STO can improve its power factor,whereas its thermal conductivity is still very high.Thus,in order to obtain a high thermoelectric figure-of-merit z T,it is very important to reduce its thermal conductivity.In this paper,using a combination of a hydrothermal method and a high-efficiency sintering method,we succeed in preparing a composite of pure STO and La Nb-doped STO,which simultaneously realizes lower thermal conductivity and higherSeebeck coefficient,therefore,the thermoelectric properties of STO are significantly improved.In the SrTiO3/La Nb–SrTiO3 bulk samples,the lowest thermal conductivity is 2.57 W·m^-1·K^-1 and the highest z T is 0.35 at 1000 K for the STO/La（10）Nb（20）–STO sample.展开更多
The effective properties of thermoelectric composites are well known to depend on boundary conditions, which causes the macro performance of thermoelectric composite to be difficult to assess. The overall macro-perfor...The effective properties of thermoelectric composites are well known to depend on boundary conditions, which causes the macro performance of thermoelectric composite to be difficult to assess. The overall macro-performance of multilayered thermoelectric medium is discussed in this paper. The analytical solutions are obtained, including the heat flux, temperature, electric potential, and the overall energy conversion efficiency. The results show that there are unique relationships between the temperature/electric potential and the electric current/energy flux in the material, and whether the material is independent of or embedded in thermoelectric composites. Besides, the Peltier effect at the interface can significantly improve the overall energy conversion efficiency of thermoelectric composites. These results provide a powerful tool to analyze the effective behaviors of thermoelectric composites.展开更多
Single-phase pristine and cation-substituted calcium manganite（Ca1-xBixMn1-yVyO3-δ） polycrystalline samples were synthesized by the solid state reaction technique. Their thermoelectric properties were measured by a...Single-phase pristine and cation-substituted calcium manganite（Ca1-xBixMn1-yVyO3-δ） polycrystalline samples were synthesized by the solid state reaction technique. Their thermoelectric properties were measured by a set up that was designed and assembled in the laboratory. The Ca1-x BixMn1-yVyO3-δsample with x = y = 0.04 has shown a power factor（S^2σ） of 176 μW/m/K^2 at 423 K, which is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than that of the pristine sample（2.1 μW/m/K2）. The power factor of the substituted oxide remains almost temperature independent as the Seebeck coefficient increases monotonically with temperature, along with the simultaneous decrease in electrical resistivity which is attributed to enhanced electron density due to co-doping of bismuth and vanadium and grain boundary scattering. These cation-substituted calcium manganites can be used as a potential candidate for an n-type leg in a thermoelectric generator（module）.展开更多
The gamma-graphyne nanoribbons(γ-GYNRs) incorporating diamond-shaped segment(DSSs) with excellent thermoelectric properties are systematically investigated by combining nonequilibrium Green’s functions with adaptive...The gamma-graphyne nanoribbons(γ-GYNRs) incorporating diamond-shaped segment(DSSs) with excellent thermoelectric properties are systematically investigated by combining nonequilibrium Green’s functions with adaptive genetic algorithm. Our calculations show that the adaptive genetic algorithm is efficient and accurate in the process of identifying structures with excellent thermoelectric performance. In multiple rounds, an average of 476 candidates(only 2.88% of all16512 candidate structures) are calculated to obtain the structures with extremely high thermoelectric conversion efficiency.The room temperature thermoelectric figure of merit(ZT) of the optimal γ-GYNR incorporating DSSs is 1.622, which is about 5.4 times higher than that of pristine γ-GYNR(length 23.693 nm and width 2.660 nm). The significant improvement of thermoelectric performance of the optimal γ-GYNR is mainly attributed to the maximum balance of inhibition of thermal conductance(proactive effect) and reduction of thermal power factor(side effect). Moreover, through exploration of the main variables affecting the genetic algorithm, it is revealed that the efficiency of the genetic algorithm can be improved by optimizing the initial population gene pool, selecting a higher individual retention rate and a lower mutation rate. The results presented in this paper validate the effectiveness of genetic algorithm in accelerating the exploration of γ-GYNRs with high thermoelectric conversion efficiency, and could provide a new development solution for carbon-based thermoelectric materials.展开更多
Nb-doped SrTiO3 thermoelectric ceramics with different niobium concentrations,sintering temperatures and Sr-site vacancies are successfully prepared by high energy ball milling combined with carbon burial sintering.Fo...Nb-doped SrTiO3 thermoelectric ceramics with different niobium concentrations,sintering temperatures and Sr-site vacancies are successfully prepared by high energy ball milling combined with carbon burial sintering.For fully understanding the effect of niobium doping on SrTiO3,thermoelectric transport properties are systematically investigated in a temperature range from 300 K to 1100 K.The carrier mobility can be significantly enhanced,and the electrical conductivity is quadrupled,when the sintering temperature rises from 1673 K to 1773 K（beyond the eutectic temperature（1713 K） of SrTiO3–TiO2）.The lattice vibration can be suppressed by the lattice distortion introduced by the doped niobium atoms.However,Sr-site vacancies compensate for the lattice distortion and increase the lattice thermal conductivity more or less.Finally,we achieve a maximum value of figure-of-merit z T of 0.21 at 1100 K for Sr Ti（0.9）Nb（0.1）O3 ceramic sintered at1773 K.展开更多
It is well known that components with dissimilar compatibility factors cannot be combined by segmentation into an efficient thermoelectric generator, since each component needs a unique optimal current density. Based ...It is well known that components with dissimilar compatibility factors cannot be combined by segmentation into an efficient thermoelectric generator, since each component needs a unique optimal current density. Based on the complex variable method, the thermal-electric field within a hi-layered thermoelectric composite has been analyzed, and the field distributions have been obtained in closed-form. Our analysis shows that current refraction occurs at the interface, both the refraction angle and current density vary with the incidence angle. Further analysis proves that the current densities in two components can be adjusted independently by adjusting the incidence current density and incidence angle, thus the optimal current density can be matched in both components, and the conversion efficiency can be significantly increased. These results point to a new route for high efficiency thermoelectric composites.展开更多
Cu2Se is a promising"phonon liquid-electron crystal"thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric performance.In this work,Cd-doped Cu2-xSeCdx(x=0,0.0075,0.01,and 0.02)samples were prepared using NaC...Cu2Se is a promising"phonon liquid-electron crystal"thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric performance.In this work,Cd-doped Cu2-xSeCdx(x=0,0.0075,0.01,and 0.02)samples were prepared using NaCl flux method.The solubility of Cd in Cu2Se at room temperature was less than 6%,and a second phase of CdSe was found in the samples with large initial Cd content(x=0.01 and 0.02).Field-emission scanning electron microscopic image showed that the arranged lamellae formed a large-scale layered structure with an average thickness of approximately 100 nm.Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that doping of Cd atoms did not destroy the crystal integrity of Cu2Se.A small amount of Cd in Cu2Se could reduce the electrical and thermal conductivities of the material,thus significantly enhancing its thermoelectric performance.With the increase in Cd content in the sample,the carrier concentration decreased and the mobility increased gradually.Thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis showed that no weight loss occurred below the melting point.Excessive Cd doping led to the emergence of the second phase of CdSe in the sample,thus significantly increasing the thermal conductivity of the material.A maximum ZT value of 1.67 at 700 K was obtained in the Cu1.9925SeCd0.0075 sample.展开更多
This paper reports that the nanostructured β-FeSi2 bulk materials are prepared by a new synthesis process by combining melt spinning （MS） and subsequent spark plasma sintering （SPS）. It investigates the influence...This paper reports that the nanostructured β-FeSi2 bulk materials are prepared by a new synthesis process by combining melt spinning （MS） and subsequent spark plasma sintering （SPS）. It investigates the influence of linear speed of the rolling copper wheel, injection pressure and SPS regime on microstructure and phase composition of the rapidly solidified ribbons after MS and bulk production respectively, and discusses the effects of the microstructure on thermal transport properties. There are two crystalline phases （α-Fe2Si5 and ε-FeSi） in the rapidly solidified ribbons; the crystal grains become smaller when the cooling rate increases （the 20 nm minimum crystal of ε-FeSi is obtained）. Having been sintered for 1 min above 1123K and annealed for 5min at 923K, the single-phase nanostructured β- FeSi2 bulk materials with 200-500 nm grain size and 98% relative density are obtained. The microstructure of β-FeSi2 has great effect on thermal transport properties. With decreasing sintering temperature, the grain size decreases, the thermal conductivity of β-FeSi2 is reduced remarkably. The thermal conductivity of β-FeSi2 decreases notably （reduced 72% at room temperature） in comparison with the β-FeSi2 prepared by traditional casting method.展开更多
基金supported by National Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China (No.61905161 and 51702219)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.61975134,61875138 and 61775147)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Innovation Commission of Shenzhen (No. JCYJ20180206121837007)the Shenzhen Nanshan District Pilotage Team Program (LHTD20170006)
文摘Thermoelectric generators have attracted a wide research interest owing to their ability to directly convert heat into electrical power.Moreover,the thermoelectric properties of traditional inorganic and organic materials have been significantly improved over the past few decades.Among these compounds,layered two-dimensional(2D)materials,such as graphene,black phosphorus,transition metal dichalcogenides,IVA–VIA compounds,and MXenes,have generated a large research attention as a group of potentially high-performance thermoelectric materials.Due to their unique electronic,mechanical,thermal,and optoelectronic properties,thermoelectric devices based on such materials can be applied in a variety of applications.Herein,a comprehensive review on the development of 2D materials for thermoelectric applications,as well as theoretical simulations and experimental preparation,is presented.In addition,nanodevice and new applications of 2D thermoelectric materials are also introduced.At last,current challenges are discussed and several prospects in this field are proposed.
基金This research was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFA0204700,2018YFE0200700)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21805285)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of CAS(QYZDY-SSW-SLH024).
文摘Electronic structures, which play a key role in determining electrical and optical properties of π-conjugated organic materials, have attracted tremendous interest. Efficient thermoelectric (TE) conversion of organic materials has rigorous requirements on electronic structures. Recently, the rational design and precise modulation of electronic structures have exhibited great potential in exploring state-of-the-art organic TE materials. This review focuses on the regulation of electronic structures of organic materials toward efficient TE conversion. First, we present the basic knowledge regarding electronic structures and the requirements for efficient TE conversion of organic materials, followed by a brief introduction of commonly used methods for electronic structure characterization. Next, we highlight the key strategies of electronic structure engineering for high-performance organic TE materials. Finally, an overview of the electronic structure engineering of organic TE materials, along with current challenges and future research directions, are provided.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.U1504511,11674083, and 12005194)。
文摘Thermoelectric materials have the ability to directly convert heat into electricity,which have been extensively studied for decades to solve global energy shortages and environmental problems.As a medium temperature(400-800 K)thermoelectric material,SnTe has attracted extensive attention as a promising substitute for PbTe due to its non-toxic characteristics.In this paper,the research status of SnTe thermoelectric materials is reviewed,and the strategies to improve its performance are summarized and discussed in terms of electrical and thermal transport properties.This comprehensive discussion will provides guidance and inspiration for the research on SnTe.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11675255)the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2016YFA0401503).
文摘Nanostructuring, structure distortion, and/or disorder are the main manipulation techniques to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity and improve the figure of merit of thermoelectric materials. A single-phase α-MgAgSb sample, MgAg0.97Sb0.99, with high thermoelectric performance in near room temperature region was synthesized through a high-energy ball milling with a hot-pressing method. Here, we report the average grain size of 24–28 nm and the accurate structure distortion, which are characterized by high-resolution neutron diffraction and synchrotron x-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement data analysis. Both the small grain size and the structure distortion have a contribution to the low lattice thermal conductivity in MgAg0.97Sb0.99.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51472052 and Y6J1421A41)
文摘Bismuth telluride（Bi2Te3） based alloys, such as p-type Bi（0.5）Sb（1.5）Te3, have been leading candidates for near room temperature thermoelectric applications. In this study, Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 bulk materials with MnSb2Se4 were prepared using high-energy ball milling and spark plasma sintering（SPS） process. The addition of MnSb2Se4 to Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 increased the hole concentration while slightly decreasing the Seebeck coefficient, thus optimising the electrical transport properties of the bulk material. In addition, the second phases of MnSb2Se4 and Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 were observed in the Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 matrix. The nanoparticles in the semi-coherent second phase of MnSb2Se4 behaved as scattering centres for phonons,yielding a reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. Substantial enhancement of the figure of merit, ZT, has been achieved for Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 by adding an Mn（0.8）Cu（0.2）Sb2Se4（2mol%） sample, for a wide range of temperatures, with a peak value of 1.43 at 375 K, corresponding to -40% improvement over its Bi（0.48）Sb（1.52）Te3 counterpart. Such enhancement of the thermoelectric（TE） performance of p-type Bi2Te3 based materials is believed to be advantageous for practical applications.
基金Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China(Grant Nos.BK20220407 and BK20220428)。
文摘Since the superior mechanical,chemical and physical properties of high-entropy alloys(HEAs)were discovered,they have gradually become new emerging candidates for renewable energy applications.This review presents the novel applications of HEAs in thermoelectric energy conversion.Firstly,the basic concepts and structural properties of HEAs are introduced.Then,we discuss a number of promising thermoelectric materials based on HEAs.Finally,the conclusion and outlook are presented.This article presents an advanced understanding of the thermoelectric properties of HEAs,which provides new opportunities for promoting their applications in renewable energy.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos 2007CB607501 and 2007CB607503)Yunnan Natural Science Fund (Grant No 2008CD114)
文摘N-type Si-based type-Ⅰ clathrates with different Ga content were synthesized by combining the solid-state reaction method,melting method and spark plasma sintering （SPS） method.The effects of Ga composition on high temperature thermoelectric transport properties were investigated.The results show that at room temperature,the carrier concentration decreases, while the carrier mobility increases slightly with increasing Ga content.The Seebeck coefficient increases with increasing Ga content. Among all the samples,Ba7.93Ga17.13Si28.72exhibits higher Seebeck coefficient than the others and reaches -135μV·K^-1 at 1000 K.The sample prepared by this method exhibits very high electrical conductivity,and reaches 1.95x 10^5 S·m^-1 for Ba8.01Ga16.61Si28.93 at room temperature.The thermal conductivity of all samples is almost temperature independent in the temperature range of 300-1000 K,indicating the behaviour of a typical metal.The maximum ZT value of 0.75 is obtained at 1000 K for the compound Ba7.93Ga17.13Si28.72.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51762018,52073128,and 22065013)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province,China(Grant Nos.20202ACBL204005,20202ACBL214005,and 20203AEI003)。
文摘Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT)has proved its quite competitive thermoelectric properties in flexible electronics with its excellent electrical and mechanical properties.Since the early discovery of PEDOT,considerable experimental progress has been achieved in optimizing and improving the thermoelectric properties as a promising organic thermoelectric material(OTE).Among them,theoretical research has made significant contributions to its development.Here the basic physics of conductive PEDOT are reviewed based on the combination of theory and experiment.The purpose is to provide a new insight into the development of PEDOT,so as to effectively design and preparation of advanced thermoelectric PEDOT material in the future.
基金Project supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.FRF-TP-20-006A2).
文摘Since it was first proposed,the space solar power station(SSPS)has attracted great attention all over the world;it is a huge space system and provides energy for Earth.Although several schemes and abundant studies on the SSPS have been proposed and conducted,it is still not realized.The reason why SSPS is still an idea is not only because it is a giant and complex project,but also due to the requirement for various excellent space materials.Among the diverse required materials,we believe energy materials are the most important.Herein,we review the space energy conversion materials for the SSPS.
基金supported by Shenzhen Fundamental Research Program(Grant No.JCYJ20200109105604088)Distinguished Young Talents in Higher Education of Guangdong,China(Project No.2020KQNCX061)。
文摘The thermoelectric(TE)materials and corresponding TE devices can achieve direct heat-to-electricity conversion,thus have wide applications in heat energy harvesting(power generator),wearable electronics and local cooling.In recent years,aerogel-based TE materials have received considerable attention and have made remarkable progress because of their unique structural,electrical and thermal properties.In this review,the recent progress in both organic,inorganic,and composite/hybrid TE aerogels is systematically summarized,including the main constituents,preparation method,TE performance,as well as factors affecting the TE performance and the corresponding mechanism.Moreover,two typical aerogel-based TE devices/generators are compared and analyzed in terms of assembly modes and output performance.Finally,the present challenges and some tentative suggestions for future research prospects are provided in conclusion.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.21905294)the Shanghai Sailing Program。
文摘Organic semiconductors,especially polymer semiconductors,have attracted extensive attention as organic thermoelectric materials due to their capabilities for flexibility,low-cost fabrication,solution processability and low thermal conductivity.However,it is challenging to obtain high-performance organic thermoelectric materials because of the low intrinsic carrier concentration of organic semiconductors.The main method to control the carrier concentration of polymers is the chemical doping process by charge transfer between polymer and dopant.Therefore,the deep understanding of doping mechanisms from the point view of chemical structure has been highly desired to overcome the bottlenecks in polymeric thermoelectrics.In this contribution,we will briefly review the recently emerging progress for discovering the structure–property relationship of organic thermoelectric materials with high performance.Highlights include some achievements about doping strategies to effectively modulate the carrier concentration,the design rules of building blocks and side chains to enhance charge transport and improve the doping efficiency.Finally,we will give our viewpoints on the challenges and opportunities in the field of polymer thermoelectric materials.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51771126)the Youth Foundation of Science&Technology Department of Sichuan Province,China(Grant No.2016JQ0051)+3 种基金the Sichuan University Talent Introduction Research Funding(Grand No.YJ201537)the Sichuan University Outstanding Young Scholars Research Funding(Grant No.2015SCU04A20)the World First-Class University Construction Fundingthe Fundamental and Frontier Research in Chongqing(Grant No.CSTC2015JCYJBX0026)
文摘We have systematically studied the thermoelectric properties in Zn-doped Sn Te.Strikingly,band convergence and embedded precipitates arising from Zn doping,can trigger a prominent improvement of thermoelectric performance.In particular,the value of dimensionless figure of merit z T has increased by 100% and up to ～ 0.5 at 775 K for the optimal sample with 2% Zn content.Present findings demonstrate that carrier concentration and effective mass play crucial roles on the Seebeck coefficient and power factor.The obvious deviation from the Pisarenko line（Seebeck coefficient versus carrier concentration） due to Zn-doping reveals the convergence of valence bands.When the doping concentration exceeds the solubility,precipitates occur and lead to a reduction of lattice thermal conductivity.In addition,bipolar conduction is suppressed,indicating an enlargement of band gap.The Zn-doped Sn Te is shown to be a promising candidate for thermoelectric applications.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61751404,51702168,and 51665042)the Fund from the State Key Laboratory of New Ceramic and Fine Processing(Tsinghua University),China(Grant No.KF201608)+1 种基金the Fund from the Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials,Guilin University of Electronic Technology,China(Grant No.151004-K)the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China(Grant Nos.2016BS0507 and 2015MS0509)
文摘Strontium titanate（STO）is an n-type oxide thermoelectric material,which has shown great prospects in recent years.The doping of La and Nb into STO can improve its power factor,whereas its thermal conductivity is still very high.Thus,in order to obtain a high thermoelectric figure-of-merit z T,it is very important to reduce its thermal conductivity.In this paper,using a combination of a hydrothermal method and a high-efficiency sintering method,we succeed in preparing a composite of pure STO and La Nb-doped STO,which simultaneously realizes lower thermal conductivity and higherSeebeck coefficient,therefore,the thermoelectric properties of STO are significantly improved.In the SrTiO3/La Nb–SrTiO3 bulk samples,the lowest thermal conductivity is 2.57 W·m^-1·K^-1 and the highest z T is 0.35 at 1000 K for the STO/La（10）Nb（20）–STO sample.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11232007 and 11202099)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)+1 种基金State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures,China(Grant No.MCMS-0215G01)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(Grant No.NS2016008)
文摘The effective properties of thermoelectric composites are well known to depend on boundary conditions, which causes the macro performance of thermoelectric composite to be difficult to assess. The overall macro-performance of multilayered thermoelectric medium is discussed in this paper. The analytical solutions are obtained, including the heat flux, temperature, electric potential, and the overall energy conversion efficiency. The results show that there are unique relationships between the temperature/electric potential and the electric current/energy flux in the material, and whether the material is independent of or embedded in thermoelectric composites. Besides, the Peltier effect at the interface can significantly improve the overall energy conversion efficiency of thermoelectric composites. These results provide a powerful tool to analyze the effective behaviors of thermoelectric composites.
文摘Single-phase pristine and cation-substituted calcium manganite（Ca1-xBixMn1-yVyO3-δ） polycrystalline samples were synthesized by the solid state reaction technique. Their thermoelectric properties were measured by a set up that was designed and assembled in the laboratory. The Ca1-x BixMn1-yVyO3-δsample with x = y = 0.04 has shown a power factor（S^2σ） of 176 μW/m/K^2 at 423 K, which is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than that of the pristine sample（2.1 μW/m/K2）. The power factor of the substituted oxide remains almost temperature independent as the Seebeck coefficient increases monotonically with temperature, along with the simultaneous decrease in electrical resistivity which is attributed to enhanced electron density due to co-doping of bismuth and vanadium and grain boundary scattering. These cation-substituted calcium manganites can be used as a potential candidate for an n-type leg in a thermoelectric generator（module）.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11974300,11974299,12074150)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China(Grant No.2021JJ30645)+3 种基金Scientific Research Fund of Hunan Provincial Education Department(Grant Nos.20K127,20A503,and 20B582)Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University(Grant No.IRT13093)the Hunan Provincial Innovation Foundation for Postgraduate(Grant No.CX20220544)Youth Science and Technology Talent Project of Hunan Province,China(Grant No.2022RC1197)。
文摘The gamma-graphyne nanoribbons(γ-GYNRs) incorporating diamond-shaped segment(DSSs) with excellent thermoelectric properties are systematically investigated by combining nonequilibrium Green’s functions with adaptive genetic algorithm. Our calculations show that the adaptive genetic algorithm is efficient and accurate in the process of identifying structures with excellent thermoelectric performance. In multiple rounds, an average of 476 candidates(only 2.88% of all16512 candidate structures) are calculated to obtain the structures with extremely high thermoelectric conversion efficiency.The room temperature thermoelectric figure of merit(ZT) of the optimal γ-GYNR incorporating DSSs is 1.622, which is about 5.4 times higher than that of pristine γ-GYNR(length 23.693 nm and width 2.660 nm). The significant improvement of thermoelectric performance of the optimal γ-GYNR is mainly attributed to the maximum balance of inhibition of thermal conductance(proactive effect) and reduction of thermal power factor(side effect). Moreover, through exploration of the main variables affecting the genetic algorithm, it is revealed that the efficiency of the genetic algorithm can be improved by optimizing the initial population gene pool, selecting a higher individual retention rate and a lower mutation rate. The results presented in this paper validate the effectiveness of genetic algorithm in accelerating the exploration of γ-GYNRs with high thermoelectric conversion efficiency, and could provide a new development solution for carbon-based thermoelectric materials.
基金Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2017YFA0403803)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51774065,51525401,51690163,and 51601028)the Dalian Support Plan for Innovation of High-level Talents(Top and Leading Talents)(Grant No.2015R013)
文摘Nb-doped SrTiO3 thermoelectric ceramics with different niobium concentrations,sintering temperatures and Sr-site vacancies are successfully prepared by high energy ball milling combined with carbon burial sintering.For fully understanding the effect of niobium doping on SrTiO3,thermoelectric transport properties are systematically investigated in a temperature range from 300 K to 1100 K.The carrier mobility can be significantly enhanced,and the electrical conductivity is quadrupled,when the sintering temperature rises from 1673 K to 1773 K（beyond the eutectic temperature（1713 K） of SrTiO3–TiO2）.The lattice vibration can be suppressed by the lattice distortion introduced by the doped niobium atoms.However,Sr-site vacancies compensate for the lattice distortion and increase the lattice thermal conductivity more or less.Finally,we achieve a maximum value of figure-of-merit z T of 0.21 at 1100 K for Sr Ti（0.9）Nb（0.1）O3 ceramic sintered at1773 K.
基金Project supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(Grant No.NS2016008)
文摘It is well known that components with dissimilar compatibility factors cannot be combined by segmentation into an efficient thermoelectric generator, since each component needs a unique optimal current density. Based on the complex variable method, the thermal-electric field within a hi-layered thermoelectric composite has been analyzed, and the field distributions have been obtained in closed-form. Our analysis shows that current refraction occurs at the interface, both the refraction angle and current density vary with the incidence angle. Further analysis proves that the current densities in two components can be adjusted independently by adjusting the incidence current density and incidence angle, thus the optimal current density can be matched in both components, and the conversion efficiency can be significantly increased. These results point to a new route for high efficiency thermoelectric composites.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61864012 and 21701140)the Program for Innovative Research Team(in Science and Technology)in University of Yunnan Province,China.
文摘Cu2Se is a promising"phonon liquid-electron crystal"thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric performance.In this work,Cd-doped Cu2-xSeCdx(x=0,0.0075,0.01,and 0.02)samples were prepared using NaCl flux method.The solubility of Cd in Cu2Se at room temperature was less than 6%,and a second phase of CdSe was found in the samples with large initial Cd content(x=0.01 and 0.02).Field-emission scanning electron microscopic image showed that the arranged lamellae formed a large-scale layered structure with an average thickness of approximately 100 nm.Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that doping of Cd atoms did not destroy the crystal integrity of Cu2Se.A small amount of Cd in Cu2Se could reduce the electrical and thermal conductivities of the material,thus significantly enhancing its thermoelectric performance.With the increase in Cd content in the sample,the carrier concentration decreased and the mobility increased gradually.Thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis showed that no weight loss occurred below the melting point.Excessive Cd doping led to the emergence of the second phase of CdSe in the sample,thus significantly increasing the thermal conductivity of the material.A maximum ZT value of 1.67 at 700 K was obtained in the Cu1.9925SeCd0.0075 sample.
基金Project supported by the 973 Project (Grant No 2007CB607501)National Science Foundation of China (Grant No 50572082)the Cultivation Fund of the Key Scientific and Technical Innovation Project of China (Grant No 705035)
文摘This paper reports that the nanostructured β-FeSi2 bulk materials are prepared by a new synthesis process by combining melt spinning （MS） and subsequent spark plasma sintering （SPS）. It investigates the influence of linear speed of the rolling copper wheel, injection pressure and SPS regime on microstructure and phase composition of the rapidly solidified ribbons after MS and bulk production respectively, and discusses the effects of the microstructure on thermal transport properties. There are two crystalline phases （α-Fe2Si5 and ε-FeSi） in the rapidly solidified ribbons; the crystal grains become smaller when the cooling rate increases （the 20 nm minimum crystal of ε-FeSi is obtained）. Having been sintered for 1 min above 1123K and annealed for 5min at 923K, the single-phase nanostructured β- FeSi2 bulk materials with 200-500 nm grain size and 98% relative density are obtained. The microstructure of β-FeSi2 has great effect on thermal transport properties. With decreasing sintering temperature, the grain size decreases, the thermal conductivity of β-FeSi2 is reduced remarkably. The thermal conductivity of β-FeSi2 decreases notably （reduced 72% at room temperature） in comparison with the β-FeSi2 prepared by traditional casting method.
