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Thermoelectric Materials

Subcategory (under Clean Energy): Cross Cutting
Technology Readiness Level (TRL): TRL 4 - Early prototype
Technology Outline (Process Description)

Phase boundaries, interfacial dislocations, and optimal graphene nano-inclusions play a significant role in improving phonon scattering and thus decreasing lattice thermal conductivity. An order of magnitude rise in the thermoelectric (TE) performance of the PbSe, a scalable and easy-to-manufacture TE material, has been achieved by incorporating reduced graphene oxide (Gr) nanoplatelets in a PbSe/PbSeO3 heterostructure formed by acoustic cavitation-assisted oxidation. The fabricated Gr/ PbSe/PbSeO3 nanocomposites exhibit high TE performance with an exceptionally high Seebeck coefficient coupled with low thermal conductivity. The variation in the Seebeck coefficient has been attributed to a reduction in charge carrier mobility due to the ferroelectric polarization effect. Furthermore, the increase in electrical resistivity is minimized by adding graphene. At an optimal weight fraction (0.2 wt%), graphene nano-inclusions lead to superior Seebeck coefficient values as high as ~2400 μV/K at ~475 K, providing high overall TE performance. This study shows substantial changes in the TE properties of PbSe through the incorporation of graphene and PbSeO3. The understanding and methodology developed in this study can be exploited for the scalable manufacturing of high-performance TE materials.

Salient Features/Advantages

  • Graphene was dispersed in methanol by ultrasonication. Desired amounts of the powder obtained from 6 h ultrasonicated PbSe were further mixed into the dispersed Gr to obtain Gr:PbSe with Gr The formed slurry was ultrasonicated for 2 h and dried at 80 °C under vacuum. Heavy acoustic cavitation to PbSe creates the lattice defects and PbSeO3 layer formation in PbSe, which obstruct the charge carriers and phonons, thus providing an exceptionally high Seebeck coefficient of ~1600 µV/K and low κ of ~0.23 W/m.K at 425 K. Incorporation of graphene at an optimal weight fraction of 0.2 wt% further rises the Seebeck coefficient values as high as ~2400 μV/K at ~475 K.

Key Outcomes

  • ZT ~ 3.5 at 500 K stems from the high electron-phonon scattering by Pb-oxide and graphene nanoinclusions, and the high Seebeck coefficient through PbSe-Pb3O4 heterostructure
  • Gr:PbSe/PbSeO3 exhibits high Seebeck coefficient of ~ 2400 µV/K at 475 K

  • Gr:PbSe/PbSeO3 exhibits lower thermal conductivity of ~ 0.2 W/mK between 450 and 600 K

IP Protection details

  • Patent filed (Title, national/International): Novel high performance thermoelectric material with remarkable ZT and power factor and method of manufacturing the same (national)
  • Patents Granted: Application Number: 201611031952 Date: 20-09-2016
  • Copyrights obtained /progress on commercialisation /Pl. specify connect with industry: Nil

Contact details (for more information)

  • Nodal Person name: Prof. Kamal K. Kar
  • Email ID: kamalkk@iitk.ac.in
  • Organisation name (Relevant link/web page): IIT-Kanpur
Supporting Photographs/Images

Organizations involved in the development (logo/name)

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

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