Understanding the asymmetrical thermoelectric performance for discovering promising thermoelectric materials.

ABSTRACT: Thermoelectric modules, consisting of multiple pairs of n- and p-type legs, enable converting heat into electricity and vice versa. However, the thermoelectric performance is often asymmetrical, in that one type outperforms the other. In this paper, we identified the relationship between the asymmetrical thermoelectric performance and the weighted mobility ratio, a correlation that can help predict the thermoelectric performance of unreported materials. Here, a reasonably high ZT for the n-type ZrCoBi-based half-Heuslers is first predicted and then experimentally verified. A high peak ZT of ~1 at 973 K can be realized by ZrCo_0.9Ni_0.1Bi_0.85Sb_0.15. The measured heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency for the unicouple of ZrCoBi-base

SUBMITTER: Zhu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6588382 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature