Fabrication and thermoelectric properties of Ca-Co-O ceramics with negative Seebeck coefficient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Chunlin; Shi, Zongmo; Zhang, Yi; Chen, Yongsheng; Hu, Jiaxin; Gou, Jianjun; Qin, Mengjie; Gao, Feng

2018-06-01

Ca-Co-O ceramics is typically p-type thermoelectric materials and possesses positive Seebeck coefficient. In this work, n-type Ca-Co-O ceramics with negative Seebeck coefficients were fabricated by sintering and annealing in a reducing atmosphere. The microstructures and thermoelectric properties of the ceramics were investigated. The results show that the carrier concentration and the carrier mobility dramatically increase after the samples were annealed in the reducing atmosphere. The electrical resistivity increases from 0.0663 mΩ·cm to 0.2974 mΩ·cm, while the negative Seebeck coefficients varies from -24.9 μV/K to -56.3 μV/K as the temperature increases from 323 K to 823 K, and the maximum power factor (PF, 1.536 mW/m·K2) is obtained at 623 K. The samples have n-type thermoelectric properties with large PF values and ZT value (ZT = 0.39, 823 K). The unusual results will pave a new way for studying Ca-Co-O thermoelectric ceramics.

Thermoelectric Properties of the Perovskite-Type Oxide SrTi1-xNbxO3 Synthesized by Solid-State Reaction Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Tamal Tahsin; Ur, Soon-Chul

2018-05-01

The perovskite-type oxide materials SrTi1-xNbxO3 (X = .02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05 and 0.06) were synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction method and the thermoelectric properties in terms of Nb doping at the B-site in the oxides were investigated in this study. The formation of single phase cubic perovskite structure was confirmed by the powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Negative conduction is shown in this materials system. The absolute value of Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing temperature over the measured temperature. The electrical conductivity decreased monotonically with increasing temperature, showing degenerating conduction behavior. The thermal conductivity, k, generally decreased with increasing temperature. The power factor increased with increasing Nb-doping level up to 5.0 mol% and hence the dimensionless figure of merit ZT, increased up to 5.0 mol%. The maximum ZT value was observed for SrTi0.95Nb0.05O3 at 873 K.

Thermoelectric properties of n-type SrTiO 3

DOE PAGES

Sun, Jifeng; Singh, David J.

2016-05-26

We present an investigation of the thermoelectric properties of cubic perovskite SrTiO 3. The results are derived from a combination of calculated transport functions obtained from Boltzmann transport theory in the constant scattering time approximation based on the electronic structure and existing experimental data for La-doped SrTiO 3. The figure of merit ZT is modeled with respect to carrier concentration and temperature. The model predicts a relatively high ZT at optimized doping and suggests that the ZT value can reach 0.7 at T = 1400 K. Thus ZT can be improved from the current experimental values by carrier concentration optimization.

Thermoelectric properties of n-type SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jifeng; Singh, David J.

2016-10-01

We present an investigation of the thermoelectric properties of cubic perovskite SrTiO3. The results are derived from a combination of calculated transport functions obtained from Boltzmann transport theory in the constant scattering time approximation based on the electronic structure and existing experimental data for La-doped SrTiO3. The figure of merit ZT is modeled with respect to carrier concentration and temperature. The model predicts a relatively high ZT at optimized doping and suggests that the ZT value can reach 0.7 at T = 1400 K. Thus ZT can be improved from the current experimental values by carrier concentration optimization.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Double-Filled CoSb3 via High-Pressure Regulating.

PubMed

Wang, Libin; Deng, Le; Qin, Jieming; Jia, Xiaopeng

2018-05-24

It has been discussed for a long time that synthetic pressure can effectively optimize thermoelectric properties. The beneficial effect of synthesis pressures on thermoelectric properties has been discussed for a long time. In this paper, it is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated that appropriate synthesis pressures can increase the figure of merit (ZT) through optimizing thermal transport and electronic transport properties. Indium and barium atoms double-filled CoSb 3 samples were prepared use high-pressure and high-temperature technique for half an hour. X-ray diffraction and some structure analysis were used to reveal the relationship between microstructures and thermoelectric properties. In 0.15 Ba 0.35 Co 4 Sb 12 samples were synthesized by different pressures; sample synthesized by 3 GPa has the best electrical transport properties, and sample synthesized by 2.5 GPa has the lowest thermal conductivity. The maximum ZT value of sample synthesized by 3.0 GPa reached 1.18.

High-Temperature Thermoelectric Properties of (1 - x) SrTiO3 - ( x) La1/3NbO3 Ceramic Solid Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Deepanshu; Azough, F.; Molinari, M.; Parker, S. C.; Freer, R.

2015-06-01

Ceramics based on SrTiO3 are of growing interest as thermoelectric materials because of their high-temperature stability and non-toxicity. Substitution of La and Nb into the perovskite structure provides opportunities to control both the microstructure and properties. Ceramic solid solutions of (1 - x) SrTiO3 - ( x) La1/3NbO3 were prepared by the mixed oxide route, using compositional steps of x = 0.1. Pressed pellets were sintered at temperatures of 1573 K to 1723 K in air. Addition of aliovalent ions (La3+, Nb5+) on the A/B sites (Sr2+, Ti4+) led to A-Site cation deficiency in the stoichiometric compositions and other defect structures which increased carrier concentration. A maximum ZT of 0.004 was obtained for the x = 0.2 stoichiometric sample, although much higher ZT values are possible by sample reduction.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance in ternary spinel Cu4Mn2Te4via the synergistic effect of tellurium deficiency and chlorine doping.

PubMed

Chen, Hong; Lin, Hua; Liu, Yi; Wu, Xin-Tao; Wu, Li-Ming

2017-11-07

The chemistry of copper-based chalcogenides has received considerable attention due to their diverse structures and potential applications in the area of thermoelectric (TE) materials. In this communication, a series of spinel-type Cu 4 Mn 2 Te 4 -based samples have been successfully prepared and their high TE performances are attributed to the enhanced power factor and low thermal conductivity via the synergistic effect of Te deficiency and Cl doping. Consequently, a maximum TE figure of merit (ZT) of ∼0.4 was achieved for the Cu 4 Mn 2 Te 3.93 Cl 0.03 sample at 700 K, which was about 100% enhanced in comparison with the undoped Cu 4 Mn 2 Te 4 sample and one of the highest ZT values reported for p-type spinel tellurides.

High Thermoelectric Performance of In4Se3-Based Materials and the Influencing Factors.

PubMed

Yin, Xin; Liu, Jing-Yuan; Chen, Ling; Wu, Li-Ming

2018-02-20

Materials that can directly convert electricity into heat, i.e., thermoelectric materials, have attracted renewed attention globally for sustainable energy applications. As one of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials, In 4 Se 3 features an interesting crystal structure of quasi-two-dimensional sheets comprising In/Se chains that provide a platform to achieve a Peierls distortion and support a charge density wave instability. Single-crystal In 4 Se 3-δ (δ = 0.65) shows strong anisotropy in its thermoelectric properties with a very high ZT of 1.48 at 705 K in the b-c plane (one of the highest values for an n-type thermoelectric material to date) but a much lower ZT of approximately 0.5 in the a-b plane. Because of the random dispersion of grains and the grain boundary effect, the electrical transport properties of polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 are poor, which is the main impediment to improve their performance. The In4-site in the In 4 Se 3 unit cell is substitutional for dopants such as Pb, which increases the carrier concentration by 2 orders of magnitude and the electrical conductivity to 143 S/cm. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity markedly increases to approximately 160 S/cm when Cu is doped into the interstitial site but remains as low as 30 S/cm with In1/In2/In3-site dopants, e.g., Ni, Zn, Ga, and Sn. In particular, the In4-site dopant ytterbium introduces a pinning level that highly localizes the charge carriers; thus, the electrical conductivity is maintained within an order of magnitude of 30 S/cm. Meanwhile, ytterbium also creates resonance states around the Fermi level that increase the Seebeck coefficient to -350 μV/K, the highest value at the ZT peak. However, the maximum solubility of the dopant may be limited by the Se-vacancy concentration. In addition, a Se vacancy also destroys the regular lattice vibrations and weakens phonon transport. Finally, nanoinclusions can effectively scatter the middle wavelength phonons, resulting in a decrease in the lattice thermal conductivity. Because of the multiple-dopant strategy, polycrystalline materials are competitive with single crystals regarding ZT values; for instance, Pb/Sn-co-doped In 4 Pb 0.01 Sn 0.04 Se 3 has ZT = 1.4 at 733 K, whereas In 4 Se 2.95 (CuI) 0.01 has ZT = 1.34 at 723 K. These properties illustrate the promise of polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 -based materials for various applications. Finally, the ZT values of all single crystalline and polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 materials have been summarized as a function of the doping strategy applied at the different lattice sites. Additionally, the correlations between the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of all the polycrystalline materials are presented. These insights may provide new ideas in the search for and selection of new thermoelectric compounds in the In/Se and related In/Te, Sn/Se, and Sn/Te systems.

Exceptional thermoelectric performance of a "star-like" SnSe nanotube with ultra-low thermal conductivity and a high power factor.

PubMed

Lin, Chensheng; Cheng, Wendan; Guo, Zhengxiao; Chai, Guoliang; Zhang, Hao

2017-08-30

Efficient thermoelectric energy conversion is both crucial and challenging, and requires new material candidates by design. From first principles simulations, we identify that a "star-like" SnSe nanotube - with alternating dense and loose rings along the tube direction - gives rise to an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity, 0.18 W m -1 K -1 at 750 K, and a large Seebeck coefficient, compared with single crystal SnSe. The power factor of the p-type SnSe nanotube reaches its maximum value of 235 μW cm -1 K -2 at a moderate doping level of around 10 20 -10 21 cm -3 . The p-type nanotube shows better thermoelectric properties than the n-type one. The phonon anharmonic scattering rate of the SnSe nanotube is larger than that of the SnSe crystal. All of these factors lead to an exceptional figure-of-merit (ZT) value of 3.5-4.6 under the optimal conditions, compared to 0.6-2.6 for crystalline SnSe. Such a large ZT value should lead to a six-fold increase in the energy conversion efficiency to about 30%.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Filipski, Elisabeth; Berland, Elodie; Univ Paris-Sud, UMR-S0776, Orsay F-91405

The relevance of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) for irinotecan chronopharmacology was investigated in female B6D2F{sub 1} mice. A three-fold 24 h change in the mRNA expression of Abcb1b was demonstrated in ileum mucosa, with a maximum at Zeitgeber Time (ZT) 15 (p < 0.001). No rhythm was found for abcb1a in ileum mucosa, or for Abcb1a/b in Glasgow osteosarcoma (GOS), a mouse tumor cell line moderately sensitive to irinotecan. Non-tumor-bearing mice received irinotecan (50 mg/kg/day i.v. × 4 days) as a single agent or combined with P-gp inhibitor PSC833 (6.25 mg/kg/day i.p. × 4 days) at ZT3 or ZT15, respectively corresponding tomore » the worst or the best irinotecan tolerability. Endpoints involved survival, body weight change and hematologic toxicity. Antitumor efficacy was studied in GOS-bearing mice receiving irinotecan (25, 30 or 40 mg/kg/day × 4 days) and +/− PSC833 at ZT3 or ZT15, with survival, body weight change, and tumor growth inhibition as endpoints. Non-tumor bearing mice lost an average of 17% or 9% of their body weight according to irinotecan administration at ZT3 or ZT15 respectively (p < 0.001). Dosing at ZT15 rather than ZT3 reduced mean leucopenia (9% vs 53%; p < 0.001). PSC833 aggravated irinotecan lethal toxicity from 4 to ∼ 60%. In tumor-bearing mice, body weight loss was ∼ halved in the mice on irinotecan or irinotecan–PSC833 combination at ZT15 as compared to ZT3 (p < 0.001). PSC833–irinotecan at ZT15 increased tumor inhibition by ∼ 40% as compared to irinotecan only at ZT15. In conclusion, P-gp was an important determinant of the circadian balance between toxicity and efficacy of irinotecan. - Highlights: • Irinotecan chronotolerance and chronoefficacy change as drug was applied with PSC833. • P-glycoprotein is an important player of the toxicity and efficacy of irinotecan. • Timing should be considered if chemotherapy is performed with a MDR1 inhibitor.« less

Mechanisms of cadmium-induced chronotoxicity in mice.

PubMed

Miura, Nobuhiko; Ashimori, Atsushige; Takeuchi, Asuka; Ohtani, Katsumi; Takada, Naoko; Yanagiba, Yukie; Mita, Masaharu; Togawa, Masako; Hasegawa, Tatsuya

2013-01-01

Biological defense factors show diurnal variations in their expression levels or activities. These variations can induce the different sensitivity to external toxicants of a day. We reported earlier that mice showed clear diurnal variation of cadmium (Cd)-induced toxicity, i.e., chronotoxicity. In this report, we investigated additional new evidences for the cadmium (Cd)-induced chronotoxicity, and considered the mechanisms contributed to this chronotoxicity. Male C57BL/6J mice were injected with CdCl₂ (6.4 mg/kg, one shot) intraperitoneally at 6 different time points of a day (zeitgeber time (ZT); ZT2, ZT6, ZT10, ZT14, ZT18 or ZT22) followed by monitoring the mortality until 14 days after the injection. We observed extreme difference in survival numbers: surprisingly, all mice died at ZT2 injection while all mice survived at ZT18 injection. Moreover, in non-lethal dose of Cd (4.5 mg/kg), the values of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) used as indexes of hepatotoxicity markedly increased at ZT6 injection while mostly unchanged at ZT18 injection. To consider the mechanisms of this extreme diurnal variation, we examined biochemical studies and concluded that the diurnal variation was not caused by the differences in hepatic Cd level, basal hepatic metallothionein (MT) level, and induction level or induction speed of hepatic MT. We suggested that one of the candidate determination factors was glutathione. We believe that the "chronotoxicology" for metal toxicity may be classic, yet new viewpoint in modern toxicology field.

Theoretical study of thermoelectric properties of few-layer MoS2 and WSe2.

PubMed

Huang, Wen; Luo, Xin; Gan, Chee Kwan; Quek, Su Ying; Liang, Gengchiau

2014-06-14

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2) are prototypical layered two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide materials, with each layer consisting of three atomic planes. We refer to each layer as a trilayer (TL). We study the thermoelectric properties of 1-4TL MoS2 and WSe2 using a ballistic transport approach based on the electronic band structures and phonon dispersions obtained from first-principles calculations. Our results show that the thickness dependence of the thermoelectric properties is different under n-type and p-type doping conditions. Defining ZT1st peak as the first peak in the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT as doping levels increase from zero at 300 K, we found that ZT1st peak decreases as the number of layers increases for MoS2, with the exception of 2TL in n-type doping, which has a slightly higher value than 1TL. However, for WSe2, 2TL has the largest ZT1st peak in both n-type and p-type doping, with a ZT1st peak value larger than 1 for n-type WSe2. At high temperatures (T > 300 K), ZT1st peak dramatically increases when the temperature increases, especially for n-type doping. The ZT1st peak of n-type 1TL-MoS2 and 2TL-WSe2 can reach 1.6 and 2.1, respectively.

Nanoporous PbSe-SiO2 Thermoelectric Composites.

PubMed

Wu, Chao-Feng; Wei, Tian-Ran; Sun, Fu-Hua; Li, Jing-Feng

2017-11-01

Nanoporous architecture has long been predicted theoretically for its proficiency in suppressing thermal conduction, but less concerned as a practical approach for better thermoelectric materials hitherto probably due to its technical challenges. This article demonstrates a study on nanoporous PbSe-SiO 2 composites fabricated by a facile method of mechanical alloying assisted by subsequent wet-milling and then spark plasma sintering. Owing to the formation of random nanopores and additional interface scattering, the lattice thermal conductivity is limited to a value as low as 0.56 W m -1 K -1 at above 600 K, almost the same low level achieved by introducing nanoscale precipitates. Besides, the room-temperature electrical transport is found to be dominated by the grain-boundary potential barrier scattering, whose effect fades away with increasing temperatures. Consequently, a maximum ZT of 1.15 at 823 K is achieved in the PbSe + 0.7 vol% SiO 2 composition with >20% increase in average ZT , indicating the great potential of nanoporous structuring toward high thermoelectric conversion efficiency.

Enhanced thermoelectric properties of nano SiC dispersed Bi2Sr2Co2Oy Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Qiujun; Wang, Kunlun; Zhang, Yingjiu; Li, Xinjian; Song, Hongzhang

2018-04-01

The thermoelectric properties of Bi2Sr2Co2Oy + x wt% nano SiC (x = 0.00, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) prepared by the solid-state reaction method were investigated from 300 K to 923 K. The resistivity can be reduced effectively by adding a small amount of SiC nano particles, which is attributed to the increase of the carrier concentration. At the same time, the Seebeck coefficients can be improved effectively due to the energy filtering effect that low energy carriers are strongly dispersed at the interface between the SiC nano particles and the matrix. The decrease of thermal conductivity is due to the increase of the scattering ability of the phonons by the SiC nanoparticles distributed at the boundary of the matrix. As a result, the Bi2Sr2Co2Oy + x wt% SiC composites exhibit better thermoelectric properties. The maximum ZT value 0.24 is obtained when x = 0.05 at 923 K. Compared with the sample without SiC nano particles, the ZT value is increased by about 59.7%.

Synthesis and thermoelectric property of Ca and In-doped n-type Bi85Sb15 alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadel, Kamal; Li, Wenzhi; Joshi, Giri; Ren, Zhifeng

2014-03-01

In the present work we investigated the thermo-electric properties of undoped Bi85Sb15 and different Ca-doped Bi85Sb15Cax (x =0.5, 2, and 5) and In-doped Bi85Sb15Inx(x =0.5, 2) alloys synthesized via arc-melting first and followed by ball milling and hot pressing. Effect of different Ca and In doping levels on transport properties of Bi85Sb15 alloys has been investigated. It is found that thermal conductivity decreases with increasing Ca and decreasing In. Electrical transport measurements show that power factor increases with doping level of Ca up to Bi85Sb15Ca2 and then decreases yielding the maximum power factor of 3.8 × 10-3 Wm-1K-2 and zT of 0.39 at room temperature for Bi85Sb15Ca2. For indium doping, power factor decreases with doping level from 0.5 to 2, yielding the maximum zT value of 0.37 at room temperature for Bi85Sb15In0.5. In this work, calcium doping in Bi85Sb15 alloy is found to yield better thermoelectric property than indium doping.

Assessing the Thermal Conductivity of Cu2-xSe Alloys Undergoing a Phase Transition via the Simultaneous Measurement of Thermoelectric Parameters by a Harman-Based Setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilevskiy, D.; Keshavarz, M. K.; Simard, J.-M.; Masut, R. A.; Turenne, S.; Snyder, G. J.

2018-06-01

Some materials such as Cu2-xSe, Cu1.97Ag0.03Se, and SnSe have attracted attention by demonstrating a significant enhancement of their thermoelectric performance, which is associated with a phase transition. This phenomenon, observed in a limited temperature ( T) interval, results in sharp changes of the Seebeck coefficient ( S), the electrical resistivity ( ρ), and the thermal conductivity ( κ), which may render the correct evaluation of the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) difficult. We report the thermoelectric properties of a polycrystalline Cu2-xSe sample which is known to undergo a phase transition near 410 K, containing a mixture of α- and β-phases at room temperature, as determined by x-ray diffraction measurements. We have used a Harman-based setup (TEMTE Inc.), which assures the direct measurement of ZT at all temperatures, including the phase transition region. This approach ensures that κ( T) is determined under steady-state conditions at any given temperature, including points arbitrarily close to the transition temperature which cannot be guaranteed by previously used techniques such as laser flash. We have observed a sharp maximum for κ( T) near 410 K, similar to the reported specific heat variation, with a ZT peak value of 0.2 at 400 K. The expected gain in ZT related to the phase transition is reduced because the increase in S is counterbalanced by the increase in κ( T). Thus, our detailed assessment of the temperature variation of the individual thermoelectric properties accurately evaluates the performance enhancement associated to a structural phase transition and helps to elucidate this complex phenomenon.

Thin-film thermoelectric devices with high room-temperature figures of merit.

PubMed

Venkatasubramanian, R; Siivola, E; Colpitts, T; O'Quinn, B

2001-10-11

Thermoelectric materials are of interest for applications as heat pumps and power generators. The performance of thermoelectric devices is quantified by a figure of merit, ZT, where Z is a measure of a material's thermoelectric properties and T is the absolute temperature. A material with a figure of merit of around unity was first reported over four decades ago, but since then-despite investigation of various approaches-there has been only modest progress in finding materials with enhanced ZT values at room temperature. Here we report thin-film thermoelectric materials that demonstrate a significant enhancement in ZT at 300 K, compared to state-of-the-art bulk Bi2Te3 alloys. This amounts to a maximum observed factor of approximately 2.4 for our p-type Bi2Te3/Sb2Te3 superlattice devices. The enhancement is achieved by controlling the transport of phonons and electrons in the superlattices. Preliminary devices exhibit significant cooling (32 K at around room temperature) and the potential to pump a heat flux of up to 700 W cm-2; the localized cooling and heating occurs some 23,000 times faster than in bulk devices. We anticipate that the combination of performance, power density and speed achieved in these materials will lead to diverse technological applications: for example, in thermochemistry-on-a-chip, DNA microarrays, fibre-optic switches and microelectrothermal systems.

High-Throughput Screening of Sulfide Thermoelectric Materials Using Electron Transport Calculations with OpenMX and BoltzTraP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyata, Masanobu; Ozaki, Taisuke; Takeuchi, Tsunehiro; Nishino, Shunsuke; Inukai, Manabu; Koyano, Mikio

2018-06-01

The electron transport properties of 809 sulfides have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations in the relaxation time approximation, and a material design rule established for high-performance sulfide thermoelectric (TE) materials. Benchmark electron transport calculations were performed for Cu12Sb4S13 and Cu26V2Ge6S32, revealing that the ratio of the scattering probability of electrons and phonons ( κ lat τ el -1 ) was constant at about 2 × 1014 W K-1 m-1 s-1. The calculated thermopower S dependence of the theoretical dimensionless figure of merit ZT DFT of the 809 sulfides showed a maximum at 140 μV K-1 to 170 μV K-1. Under the assumption of constant κ lat τ el -1 of 2 × 1014 W K-1 m-1 s-1 and constant group velocity v of electrons, a slope of the density of states of 8.6 states eV-2 to 10 states eV-2 is suitable for high- ZT sulfide TE materials. The Lorenz number L dependence of ZT DFT for the 809 sulfides showed a maximum at L of approximately 2.45 × 10-8 V2 K-2. This result demonstrates that the potential of high- ZT sulfide materials is highest when the electron thermal conductivity κ el of the symmetric band is equal to that of the asymmetric band.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of Nb-doped SrTiO3 by nano-inclusion with low thermal conductivity

PubMed Central

Wang, Ning; Chen, Haijun; He, Hongcai; Norimatsu, Wataru; Kusunoki, Michiko; Koumoto, Kunihito

2013-01-01

Authors reported an effective path to increase the electrical conductivity while to decrease the thermal conductivity, and thus to enhance the ZT value by nano-inclusions. By this method, the ZT value of Nb-doped SrTiO3 was enhanced 9-fold by yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nano-inclusions. YSZ inclusions, located inside grain and in triple junction, can reduce the thermal conductivity by effective interface phonon scattering, enhance the electrical conductivity by promoting the abnormal grain growth, and thus lead to the obvious enhancement of ZT value, which strongly suggests that, it is possible to not only reduce the thermal conductivity, but also increase the electrical conductivity by nano-inclusions with low thermal conductivity. This study will give some useful enlightenment to the preparation of high-performance oxide thermoelectric materials. PMID:24316665

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of In2O3-based ceramics via Nanostructuring and Point Defect Engineering

PubMed Central

Lan, Jin-Le; Liu, Yaochun; Lin, Yuan-Hua; Nan, Ce-Wen; Cai, Qing; Yang, Xiaoping

2015-01-01

The issue of how to improve the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) in oxide semiconductors has been challenging for more than 20 years. In this work, we report an effective path to substantial reduction in thermal conductivity and increment in carrier concentration, and thus a remarkable enhancement in the ZT value is achieved. The ZT value of In2O3 system was enhanced 4-fold by nanostructuing (nano-grains and nano-inclusions) and point defect engineering. The introduction of point defects in In2O3 results in a glass-like thermal conductivity. The lattice thermal conductivity could be reduced by 60%, and extraordinary low lattice thermal conductivity (1.2 W m−1 K−1 @ 973 K) below the amorphous limit was achieved. Our work paves a path for enhancing the ZT in oxides by both the nanosturcturing and the point defect engineering for better phonon-glasses and electron-crystal (PGEC) materials. PMID:25586762

Maximizing the thermoelectric performance of topological insulator Bi2Te3 films in the few-quintuple layer regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Jinghua; Cheng, Long; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Huijun; Zhang, Zhenyu

2016-04-01

Using first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann theory, we explore the feasibility to maximize the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of topological insulator Bi2Te3 films in the few-quintuple layer regime. We discover that the delicate competitions between the surface and bulk contributions, coupled with the overall quantum size effects, lead to a novel and generic non-monotonous dependence of ZT on the film thickness. In particular, when the system crosses into the topologically non-trivial regime upon increasing the film thickness, the much longer surface relaxation time associated with the robust nature of the topological surface states results in a maximal ZT value, which can be further optimized to ~2.0 under physically realistic conditions. We also reveal the appealing potential of bridging the long-standing ZT asymmetry of p- and n-type Bi2Te3 systems.Using first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann theory, we explore the feasibility to maximize the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of topological insulator Bi2Te3 films in the few-quintuple layer regime. We discover that the delicate competitions between the surface and bulk contributions, coupled with the overall quantum size effects, lead to a novel and generic non-monotonous dependence of ZT on the film thickness. In particular, when the system crosses into the topologically non-trivial regime upon increasing the film thickness, the much longer surface relaxation time associated with the robust nature of the topological surface states results in a maximal ZT value, which can be further optimized to ~2.0 under physically realistic conditions. We also reveal the appealing potential of bridging the long-standing ZT asymmetry of p- and n-type Bi2Te3 systems. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00724d

Thermoelectric Properties of Cu-doped Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 Prepared by Hot Extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Woo-Jin; Kim, Il-Ho

2018-06-01

Cu0.003Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 alloys were prepared by using encapsulated melting and hot extrusion (HE). The hot-extruded specimens had the relative average density of 98%. The ( 00l) planes were preferentially oriented parallel to the extrusion direction, but the specimens showed low crystallographic anisotropy with low orientation factors. The specimens were hot-extruded at 698 K, and they showed excellent mechanical properties with a Vickers hardness of 76 Hv and a bending strength of 59 MPa. However, as the HE temperature increased, the mechanical properties degraded due to grain growth. The hot-extruded specimens showed positive Seebeck coefficients, indicating that the specimens have p-type conduction. These specimens exhibited negative temperature dependences of electrical conductivity, and thus behaved as degenerate semiconductors. The Seebeck coefficient reached the maximum value at 373 K and then decreased with increasing temperature due to intrinsic conduction. Cu-doped specimens exhibited high power factors due to relatively higher electrical conductivities and Seebeck coefficients than those of undoped specimens. A thermal conductivity of 1.00 Wm-1 K-1 was obtained at 373 K for Cu0.003Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 hot-extruded at 723 K. A maximum dimensionless figure of merit, ZT max = 1.05, and an average dimensionless figure of merit, ZT ave = 0.98, were achieved at 373 K.

Thermoelectric properties of Co4Sb12 with Bi2Te3 nanoinclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Sanyukta; Bisht, Anuj; Karati, Anirudha; Rogl, Gerda; Rogl, Peter; Murty, B. S.; Suwas, Satyam; Mallik, Ramesh Chandra

2018-03-01

The figure of merit (zT) of a thermoelectric material can be enhanced by incorporation of nanoinclusions into bulk material. The presence of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanoinclusions in Co4Sb12 leads to lower phonon thermal conductivity by introducing interfaces and defects; it enhances the average zT between 300-700 K. In the current study, Bi2Te3 nanoparticles were dispersed into bulk Co4Sb12 by ball-milling. The bulk was fabricated by spark plasma sintering. The presence of Bi2Te3 dispersion in Co4Sb12 was confirmed by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron back scattered diffraction technique. Energy dispersive spectroscopy showed antimony (Sb) as an impurity phase for higher contents of Bi2Te3 in the sample. The Seebeck coefficient (S) and electrical conductivity (σ) were measured in the temperature range of 350-673 K. The negative value of S indicates that most of the charge carriers were electrons. A decrease in S and increase in σ with Bi2Te3 content are due to the increased carrier concentration, as confirmed by Hall measurement. The thermal conductivity, measured between 423-673 K, decreased due to the increased phonon scattering at interfaces. A maximum zT of 0.17 was achieved at 523 K and it did not vary much throughout the temperature range. The experimental results of composites were compared by using effective medium theories.

Codoping in SnTe: Enhancement of Thermoelectric Performance through Synergy of Resonance Levels and Band Convergence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Gangjian; Shi, Fengyuan; Hao, Shiqiang

2015-04-22

We report a significant enhancement of the thermoelectric performance of p-type SnTe over a broad temperature plateau with a peak ZT value of similar to 1.4 at 923 K through In/Cd codoping and a CdS nanostructuring approach. Indium and cadmium play different but complementary roles in modifying the valence band structure of SnTe. Specifically, In-doping introduces resonant levels inside the valence bands, leading to a considerably improved Seebeck coefficient at low temperature. Cd-doping, however, increases the Seebeck coefficient of SnTe remarkably in the mid- to high-temperature region via a convergence of the light and heavy hole bands and an enlargementmore » of the band gap. Combining the two dopants in SnTe yields enhanced Seebeck coefficient and power factor over a wide temperature range due to the synergy of resonance levels and valence band convergence, as demonstrated by the Pisarenko plot and supported by first-principles band structure calculations. Moreover, these codoped samples can be hierarchically structured on all scales (atomic point defects by doping, nanoscale precipitations by CdS nanostructuring, and mesoscale grains by SPS treatment) to achieve highly effective phonon scattering leading to strongly reduced thermal conductivities. In addition to the high maximum ZT the resultant large average ZT of similar to 0.8 between 300 and 923 K makes SnTe an attractive p-type material for high-temperature thermoelectric power generation.« less

Thermoelectric properties of Co4Sb12 with Bi2Te3 nanoinclusions.

PubMed

Ghosh, Sanyukta; Bisht, Anuj; Karati, Anirudha; Rogl, Gerda; Rogl, Peter; Murty, B S; Suwas, Satyam; Mallik, Ramesh Chandra

2018-02-12

The figure of merit (zT) of a thermoelectric material can be enhanced by incorporation of nanoinclusions into bulk material. The presence of bismuth telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 ) nanoinclusions in Co 4 Sb 12 leads to lower phonon thermal conductivity by introducing interfaces and defects; it enhances the average zT between 300-700 K. In the current study, Bi 2 Te 3 nanoparticles were dispersed into bulk Co 4 Sb 12 by ball-milling. The bulk was fabricated by spark plasma sintering. The presence of Bi 2 Te 3 dispersion in Co 4 Sb 12 was confirmed by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron back scattered diffraction technique. Energy dispersive spectroscopy showed antimony (Sb) as an impurity phase for higher contents of Bi 2 Te 3 in the sample. The Seebeck coefficient (S) and electrical conductivity (σ) were measured in the temperature range of 350-673 K. The negative value of S indicates that most of the charge carriers were electrons. A decrease in S and increase in σ with Bi 2 Te 3 content are due to the increased carrier concentration, as confirmed by Hall measurement. The thermal conductivity, measured between 423-673 K, decreased due to the increased phonon scattering at interfaces. A maximum zT of 0.17 was achieved at 523 K and it did not vary much throughout the temperature range. The experimental results of composites were compared by using effective medium theories.

Per Operative Study of Relation of Zuckerkandl Tubercle with Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve in Thyroid Surgery.

PubMed

Singh, Priyanka; Sharma, Kalpana; Agarwal, Sunita

2017-09-01

To identify Zuckerkandl tubercle and to determine relationship between the recurrent laryngeal nerve and Zuckerkandl tubercle (ZT). Peroperative study. Intraoperatively Zuckerkandl tubercle was identified. Size of the thyroid lobe and Zuckerkandl tubercle were co-related and direction of tubercle in relation to recurrent laryngeal nerve was examined. Grading of tubercle on the basis of size was done. We studied its direction and relation with recurrent laryngeal nerve. ZT was identified in 87.86% (179 out of 206) of cases. In the study amongst the 179 cases in whom ZT could be identified, ZT was found on the right side (85.41% i.e. 123 out of 144), 81.41% (92 out of 113) to the left side and 15.68% (8 out of 51) were B/L. ZT was found posterior to the tubercle in 97.22%(175 out of 179) cases and anterior to the tubercle in 2.77% (5 out of 179) cases. The relationship between recurrent laryngeal nerve and ITA was studied. ITA was anterior to RLN (in 70.89%) and posterior to RLN in 29.10%. Thus, ZT is an important landmark for identification of RLN during thyroidectomy ( p value 0.001). Level of evidence III.

Enhanced power factor via the control of structural phase transition in SnSe

PubMed Central

Yu, Hulei; Dai, Shuai; Chen, Yue

2016-01-01

Tin selenide has attracted much research interest due to its unprecedentedly high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). For real applications, it is desirable to increase the ZT value in the lower-temperature range, as the peak ZT value currently exists near the melting point. It is shown in this paper that the structural phase transition plays an important role in boosting the ZT value of SnSe in the lower-temperature range, as the Cmcm phase is found to have a much higher power factor than the Pnma phase. Furthermore, hydrostatic pressure is predicted to be extremely effective in tuning the phase transition temperature based on ab-initio molecular dynamic simulations; a remarkable decrease in the phase transition temperature is found when a hydrostatic pressure is applied. Dynamical stabilities are investigated based on phonon calculations, providing deeper insight into the pressure effects. Accurate band structures are obtained using the modified Becke-Johnson correction, allowing reliable prediction of the electrical transport properties. The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the thermal transport properties are also discussed. Hydrostatic pressure is shown to be efficient in manipulating the transport properties via the control of phase transition temperature in SnSe, paving a new path for enhancing its thermoelectric efficiency. PMID:27193260

Foldable Thermoelectric Materials: Improvement of the Thermoelectric Performance of Directly Spun CNT Webs by Individual Control of Electrical and Thermal Conductivity.

PubMed

An, Cheng Jin; Kang, Young Hun; Lee, A-Young; Jang, Kwang-Suk; Jeong, Youngjin; Cho, Song Yun

2016-08-31

We suggest the fabrication of foldable thermoelectric (TE) materials by embedding conducting polymers into Au-doped CNT webs. The CNT bundles, which are interconnected by a direct spinning method to form 3D networks without interfacial contact resistance, provide both high electrical conductivity and high carrier mobility. The ZT value of the spun CNT web is significantly enhanced through two simple processes. Decorating the porous CNT webs with Au nanoparticles increases the electrical conductivity, resulting in an optimal ZT of 0.163, which represents a more than 2-fold improvement compared to the ZT of pristine CNT webs (0.079). After decoration, polyaniline (PANI) is integrated into the Au-doped CNT webs both to improve the Seebeck coefficient by an energy-filtering effect and to decrease the thermal conductivity by the phonon-scattering effect. This leads to a ZT of 0.203, which is one of the highest ZT values reported for organic TE materials. Moreover, Au-doped CNT/PANI web is ultralightweight, free-standing, thermally stable, and mechanically robust, which makes it a viable candidate for a hybrid TE conversion device for wearable electronics. When a 20 K temperature gradient is applied to the TE module consisting of seven p-n couples, 1.74 μW of power is generated.

Thermoelectric properties of Co₄Sb₁₂ with Bi₂Te₃ nanoinclusions.

PubMed

Ghosh, Sanyukta; Bisht, Anuj; Karati, Anirudha; Rogl, Gerda; Rogl, Peter F; Murty, B S; Suwas, Satyam; Mallik, Ramesh Chandra

2018-01-08

The figure of merit (zT) of a thermoelectric material can be enhanced by incorporation of nanoinclusions into bulk material. The presence of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanoinclusions in Co4Sb12 leads to lower phonon thermal conductivity by introducing interfaces and defects; it enhances the average zT between 300-700 K. In the current study, Bi2Te3 nanoparticles were dispersed into bulk Co4Sb12 by ball-milling. The bulk was fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The presence of Bi2Te3 dispersion in Co4Sb12 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) technique. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed antimony (Sb) as an impurity phase for higher contents of Bi2Te3 in the sample. The Seebeck coefficient (S) and electrical conductivity () were measured in the temperature range of 350 - 673 K. The negative value of S indicates that most of the charge carriers were electrons. A decrease in S and increase in with Bi2Te3 content are due to the increased carrier concentration, as confirmed by Hall measurement. The thermal conductivity, measured between 423 - 673 K, decreased due to the increased phonon scattering at interfaces. A maximum zT of 0.17 was achieved at 523 K and it did not vary much throughout the temperature range. The experimental results of composites were compared by using effective medium theories. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

In-Filled La0.5Co4Sb12 Skutterudite System with High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashir, Mohamed Bashir Ali; Said, Suhana Mohd; Sabri, Mohd Faizul Mohd; Miyazaki, Yuzuru; Shnawah, Dhafer Abdulameer; Shimada, Masanori; Salleh, Mohd Faiz Mohd; Mahmood, Mohamad Syafie; Salih, Ethar Yahya; Fitriani, Fitriani; Elsheikh, Mohamed Hamid

2018-04-01

The contribution of In addition to the La0.5Co4Sb12 skutterudite structure to improve its thermoelectric properties has been demonstrated. In x La0.5Co4Sb12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) samples were prepared through mechanical alloying followed by spark plasma sintering. Characterization of the phase structure and morphology of the sintered In x La0.5Co4Sb12 bulk samples was carried out using x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Rietveld analysis of the XRD spectra indicated that double filling at the 2a (000) interstitial site with La and In was successfully achieved, significantly improving the thermoelectric performance of the La0.5Co4Sb12 compound through simultaneous increase in the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient. A maximum power factor of 3.39 × 10-3 W/ m-K2 was recorded at 644 K for the In0.3La0.5Co4Sb12 sample, more than 96% of that of the La0.5Co4Sb12 sample. Double filling also effectively reduced the lattice thermal conductivity by about 46%, thus demonstrating that the overall improvement in ZT was primarily due to the reduced thermal conductivity. A maximum ZT value of 1.15 was achieved at 692 K for In0.3La0.5Co4Sb12.

Large thermoelectric figure of merit in graphene layered devices at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olaya, Daniel; Hurtado-Morales, Mikel; Gómez, Daniel; Alejandro Castañeda-Uribe, Octavio; Juang, Zhen-Yu; Hernández, Yenny

2018-01-01

Nanostructured materials have emerged as an alternative to enhance the figure of merit (ZT) of thermoelectric (TE) devices. Graphene exhibits a high electrical conductivity (in-plane) that is necessary for a high ZT; however, this effect is countered by its impressive thermal conductivity. In this work TE layered devices composed of electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG) and a phonon blocking material such as poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), polyaniline (PANI) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) at the interface were prepared. The figure of merit, ZT, of each device was measured in the cross-plane direction using the Transient Harman Method (THM) and complemented with AFM-based measurements. The results show remarkable high ZT values (0.81  <  ZT  <  2.45) that are directly related with the topography, surface potential, capacitance gradient and resistance of the devices at the nanoscale.

First principles study of thermoelectric properties of IV-VI semiconductor superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, P. D.; Petersen, J. E.; Scolfaro, L.; Leite Alves, H. W.; Myers, T. H.

2015-03-01

Thermoelectric materials (TE) have attracted great attention due to their ability to convert heat directly into electricity. However, to be commercially competitive with existing technology, TE devices must have a higher value of figure of merit ZT. It has been proposed to improve ZT by using multilayered systems or superlattices (SLs) resulting in 1D or 2D carrier confinement, reduction of the phonon thermal conductivity, and introduction of anisotropy effects. Here we study the TE properties of IV-VI derived semiconductor SLs. By using the Boltzmann transport theory, within the constant scattering time approximation, in conjunction with first principles calculations, we study the Seebeck coefficient (S) and ZT of PbTe/SnTe SLs. The calculated S shows good agreement with recent experimental data. An anisotropic behavior is observed for low carrier concentrations less than 10⌃18cm⌃-3. For T = 900 K, a large value of ZTparallel to the SL axis equal to 2.6 is predicted for n =1.2x10⌃18cm⌃-3, whereas ZT perpendicular to the SL axis peaks at the value 1.4 for n =5.5x10⌃17 cm⌃-3. Both electrical conductivity enhancement and reduction of thermal conductivity are analyzed, and a comparison with other multilayered systems such as planar-doped PbTe is done. Support from CNPq and Texas State University.

High thermoelectric properties of (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire arrays by tilt-structure engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Ming; Hao, Yanming; Deng, Yuan; Chen, Jingyi

2018-06-01

In this paper, we present an innovative tilt-structure design concept for (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire array assembled by high-quality nanowires with well oriented growth, utilizing a simple vacuum thermal evaporation technique. The unusual tilt-structure (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire array with a tilted angle of 45° exhibits a high thermoelectric dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT = 1.72 at room temperature. The relatively high ZT value in contrast to that of previously reported (Sb, Bi)2Te3 materials and the vertical (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire arrays evidently reveals the crucial role of the unique tilt-structure in favorably influencing carrier and phonon transport properties, resulting in a significantly improved ZT value. The transport mechanism of such tilt-structure is proposed and investigated. This method opens a new approach to optimize nano-structure in thin films for next-generation thermoelectric materials and devices.

Thermoelectrics. Dense dislocation arrays embedded in grain boundaries for high-performance bulk thermoelectrics.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Il; Lee, Kyu Hyoung; Mun, Hyeon A; Kim, Hyun Sik; Hwang, Sung Woo; Roh, Jong Wook; Yang, Dae Jin; Shin, Weon Ho; Li, Xiang Shu; Lee, Young Hee; Snyder, G Jeffrey; Kim, Sung Wng

2015-04-03

The widespread use of thermoelectric technology is constrained by a relatively low conversion efficiency of the bulk alloys, which is evaluated in terms of a dimensionless figure of merit (zT). The zT of bulk alloys can be improved by reducing lattice thermal conductivity through grain boundary and point-defect scattering, which target low- and high-frequency phonons. Dense dislocation arrays formed at low-energy grain boundaries by liquid-phase compaction in Bi(0.5)Sb(1.5)Te3 (bismuth antimony telluride) effectively scatter midfrequency phonons, leading to a substantially lower lattice thermal conductivity. Full-spectrum phonon scattering with minimal charge-carrier scattering dramatically improved the zT to 1.86 ± 0.15 at 320 kelvin (K). Further, a thermoelectric cooler confirmed the performance with a maximum temperature difference of 81 K, which is much higher than current commercial Peltier cooling devices. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Estimating Energy Conversion Efficiency of Thermoelectric Materials: Constant Property Versus Average Property Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armstrong, Hannah; Boese, Matthew; Carmichael, Cody; Dimich, Hannah; Seay, Dylan; Sheppard, Nathan; Beekman, Matt

2017-01-01

Maximum thermoelectric energy conversion efficiencies are calculated using the conventional "constant property" model and the recently proposed "cumulative/average property" model (Kim et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112:8205, 2015) for 18 high-performance thermoelectric materials. We find that the constant property model generally predicts higher energy conversion efficiency for nearly all materials and temperature differences studied. Although significant deviations are observed in some cases, on average the constant property model predicts an efficiency that is a factor of 1.16 larger than that predicted by the average property model, with even lower deviations for temperature differences typical of energy harvesting applications. Based on our analysis, we conclude that the conventional dimensionless figure of merit ZT obtained from the constant property model, while not applicable for some materials with strongly temperature-dependent thermoelectric properties, remains a simple yet useful metric for initial evaluation and/or comparison of thermoelectric materials, provided the ZT at the average temperature of projected operation, not the peak ZT, is used.

Thermoelectric effect in an Aharonov-Bohm ring with an embedded quantum dot.

PubMed

Zheng, Jun; Chi, Feng; Lu, Xiao-Dong; Zhang, Kai-Cheng

2012-02-28

Thermoelectric effect is studied in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with an embedded quantum dot (QD) in the Coulomb blockade regime. The electrical conductance, electron thermal conductance, thermopower, and thermoelectric figure-of-merit are calculated by using the Keldysh Green's function method. It is found that the figure-of-merit ZT of the QD ring may be quite high due to the Fano effect originated from the quantum interference effect. Moreover, the thermoelectric efficiency is sensitive to the magnitude of the dot-lead and inter-lead coupling strengthes. The effect of intradot Coulomb repulsion on ZT is significant in the weak-coupling regime, and then large ZT values can be obtained at rather high temperature.

Investigation of the thermoelectric properties of Nb and oxygen vacancy co-doped SrTiO3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Jing; Yuan, Zhanhui; Xu, Shikui; Li, Zhuangzhi; Xu, Jingzhou; Tang, Guide

2017-05-01

High quality Nb doped SrTi1-x Nb x O3 polycrystalline ceramics were fabricated using a conventional solid state reaction method. By annealing in a reducing atmosphere at an elevated temperature, a series of Nb and oxygen vacancy co-doped SrTi1-x Nb x O3-δ (0  ⩽  x  ⩽  0.2) samples was obtained. The thermoelectric properties of the samples were measured in the temperature range from 15 K to 380 K. These measurements showed that the transport behavior of these samples is consistent with the small polaron conduction mechanism for the temperature range from room temperature to 380 K. Furthermore, after annealing, samples with a lower Nb doping were found to give a relative higher ZT value, while excess Nb led to a reduced ZT value. The x  =  0.02 sample gave the optimal thermoelectric properties, with a ZT value of 0.023 at 300 K, and 0.028 at 380 K.

Synthesis and characterization of novel nanostructured thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Xiaofeng; Burda, Clemens

2005-08-01

Having been hibernated for almost 50 years, research in thermoelectric materials is beginning to regain activity because of the recent advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Thermoelectric is an old topic, which was discovered as early as 1821 by Thomas Johann Seebeck. During the following 120 years, great advances in both the theories and experiments were achieved. Since the 1950s, studies in thermoelectric have developed very little, because of the painful difficulties in elevating the efficiency of these kinds of materials. The efficiency of thermoelectric materials is determined by a dimensionless parameter--figure of merit (ZT), given by ZT = S2σT/κ where T is the temperature, S is the thermoelectric power (or Seebeck coefficient), σ is the electrical conductivity, and κ is the thermal conductivity. The best commercially available thermoelectric materials nowadays have a ZT around 1.0, which can be only used in some special cases. To be competitive to the kitchen refrigerators or air-conditioners, a ZT >= 3 at room temperature is required. Recently, some exciting results indicated that higher ZT values can be realized by nanoengineering of these materials. Both theoretical calculations and experimental modulations have shown the promising potentials in the elevation of the efficiency of thermoelectric materials.

Effect of nanostructure on thermoelectric properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 in 300–600 K temperature range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Saurabh; Srivastav, Simant Kumar; Patel, Ashutosh; Chatterjee, Ratnamala; Pandey, Sudhir K.

2018-05-01

In oxide materials, nanostructuring effect has been found a very promising approach for the enhancement of figure-of-merit, ZT. In the present work, we have synthesized La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) compound using sol-gel method and samples of crystallite size of ∼20, ∼41, and ∼49 nm were obtained by giving different heat treatment. Seebeck coefficient (α), electrical resistivity (ρ), and thermal conductivity (κ) measurements were carried out in 300–600 K temperature range. The systematic change in the values of α from ∼‑19 μV/K to ∼‑24 μV/K and drastic reduction in the values of κ from ∼0.88 W/mK to ∼0.23 W/mK are observed as crystallite size is reduced from 49 nm to 20 nm at ∼600 K. Also, fall in the values of ρ in the paramagnetic (PM) insulator phase (400–600 K) are effectively responsible for the increasing trend in the values of ZT at high temperature. For the crystallite size of 41 nm, the value of ZT at 600 K was found to be ∼0.017.

Maximizing the thermoelectric performance of topological insulator Bi2Te3 films in the few-quintuple layer regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Huijun; Liang, Jinghua; Cheng, Long; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Zhenyu

Using first-principles calculations and Boltzmann theory, we explore the feasibility to maximize the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of topological insulator Bi2Te3 films in the few-quintuple layer regime. We discover that the delicate competitions between the surface and bulk contributions, coupled with the overall quantum size effects, lead to a novel and generic non-monotonous dependence of ZT on the film thickness. In particular, when the system crosses into the topologically non-trivial regime upon increasing the film thickness, the much longer surface relaxation time associated with the robust nature of the topological surface states results in a maximal ZT value, which can be further optimized to ~2.0 under physically realistic conditions. We also reveal the appealing potential of bridging the long-standing ZT asymmetry of p- and n-type Bi2Te3 systems. These findings help to establish intricate connections between the thermoelectric materials and topological insulators.

Bi2O2Se nanosheet: An excellent high-temperature n-type thermoelectric material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jiabing; Sun, Qiang

2018-01-01

Motivated by the recent synthesis of an ultrathin film of layered Bi2O2Se [Wu et al., Nat. Nanotechnol. 12, 530 (2017); Wu et al., Nano Lett. 17, 3021 (2017)], we have systematically studied the thermoelectric properties of a Bi2O2Se nanosheet using first principles density functional theory combined with semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory. The calculated results indicate that the Bi2O2Se nanosheet exhibits a figure of merit (ZT) of 3.35 for optimal n-type doping at 800 K, which is much larger than the ZT value of 2.6 at 923 K in SnSe known as the most efficient thermoelectric material [Zhao et al., Nature 508, 373 (2014)]. Equally important, the high ZT in the n-type doped Bi2O2Se nanosheet highlights the efficiency of the reduced dimension on improving thermoelectric performance as compared with strain engineering by which the ZT of n-type doped bulk Bi2O2Se cannot be effectively enhanced.

Electronic structure and thermoelectric performance of Zintl compound Sr{sub 3}GaSb{sub 3}: A first-principles study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng Shi, Qing; Li Yan, Yu; Xu Wang, Yuan, E-mail: wangyx@henu.edu.cn

2014-01-06

By using first-principles method and Boltzmann theory, we simulated the thermoelectric transport properties of p-type and n-type Sr{sub 3}GaSb{sub 3}. It is found that the thermoelectric figure-of merit (ZT) of n-type Sr{sub 3}GaSb{sub 3} is probably better than that of p-type, mainly due to its large band degeneracy. Moreover, a high ZT value of 1.74 at 850 K can be achieved for n-type Sr{sub 3}GaSb{sub 3} along the yy direction, corresponding to the carrier concentration 3.5 × 10{sup 20} e cm{sup −3}. We propose that the high ZT value of experimentally synthesized p-type Sr{sub 3}GaSb{sub 3} is originated from appearing of the larger numbermore » of band valley on the top of valence bands.« less

Thermoelectric properties of the yttrium-doped ceramic oxide SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Tamal Tahsin; Ur, Soon-Chul

2017-01-01

The doping dependence of the thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, of the ceramic oxide SrTiO3 at high temperature has been studied. In this study, yttrium was used as the doping element. A conventional solid-state reaction method was used for the preparation of Y-doped SrTiO3. The doping level in SrTiO3 was controlled to be in the doping range of 2 - 10 mole%. Almost all the yttrium atoms incorporated into the SrTiO3 provided charge carriers, as was observed by using X-ray diffraction pattern. The relative densities of all the samples varied from 98.53% to 99.45%. The thermoelectric properties, including the electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, thermal conductivity k, and the figure of merit, ZT, were investigated at medium temperatures. The ZT value showed an obvious doping level dependence, in which a value as high as 0.18 is realized at 773 K for a doping of 8 mole%.

Thermoelectric effect in an Aharonov-Bohm ring with an embedded quantum dot

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Thermoelectric effect is studied in an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer with an embedded quantum dot (QD) in the Coulomb blockade regime. The electrical conductance, electron thermal conductance, thermopower, and thermoelectric figure-of-merit are calculated by using the Keldysh Green's function method. It is found that the figure-of-merit ZT of the QD ring may be quite high due to the Fano effect originated from the quantum interference effect. Moreover, the thermoelectric efficiency is sensitive to the magnitude of the dot-lead and inter-lead coupling strengthes. The effect of intradot Coulomb repulsion on ZT is significant in the weak-coupling regime, and then large ZT values can be obtained at rather high temperature. PMID:22369454

Thermoelectric properties and chemical potential tuning by Cu-doping in n-type ionic conductors CuxAg2-xSe0.5Te0.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Min Ho; Yun, Jae Hyun; Ahn, Kyunghan; Rhyee, Jong-Soo

2017-12-01

Copper and silver chalcogenides with superionic conduction behavior have shown impressively high ZT values, but there has been no intensive effort to optimize their carrier density to further improve their ZT values. Here, we prepared polycrystalline CuxAg2-xSe0.5Te0.5 (x = 0.01, 0.05, 0.1) samples using high temperature melting followed by hot-press sintering, and characterized their thermoelectric properties. We demonstrated that Cu substitution for Ag was achieved with <10% Cu content for CuxAg2-xSe0.5Te0.5 and the Cu doping was quite effective and significantly enhanced the compound's n-type carrier density, which was one order of magnitude higher than the pristine Ag2Se0.5Te0.5 (4.10 × 1018 cm-3). Impressively, the enhancement in electrical conductivity with increasing Cu content was greater than the decrease in absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient in the superionic conduction state. This led to relatively high power factors for Cu0.1Ag1.99Se0.5Te0.5, ranging between 1.10 and 1.30 mW m-1 K-2 over the broad temperature range of 400-560 K, and resulted in the highest ZT of 0.85 at 560 K. Furthermore, ZT values approached >0.7 over a wide temperature range of 460-560 K for x > 0.05. We suggest that the unusual Cu doping effect in Ag2Se0.5Te0.5 can be attributed to the creation of Cu ion conduction in addition to Ag ion conduction, and the optimization of the compound's n-type carrier density.

Tuning the thermoelectric properties of A-site deficient SrTiO3 ceramics by vacancies and carrier concentration.

PubMed

Srivastava, Deepanshu; Norman, Colin; Azough, Feridoon; Schäfer, Marion C; Guilmeau, Emmanuel; Kepaptsoglou, Demie; Ramasse, Quentin M; Nicotra, Giuseppe; Freer, Robert

2016-09-29

Ceramics based on Sr 0.8 La 0.067 Ti 0.8 Nb 0.2 O 3-δ have been prepared by the mixed oxide route. The La 1/3 NbO 3 component generates ∼13.4% A-site vacancies; this was fixed for all samples. Powders were sintered under air and reducing conditions at 1450 to 1700 K; products were of high density (>90% theoretical). Processing under reducing conditions led to the formation of a Ti 1-x Nb x O 2-y second phase, core-shell structures and oxygen deficiency. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed a simple cubic structure with space group Pm3[combining macron]m. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a high density of dislocations while analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy at atomic resolution demonstrated a uniform distribution of La, Nb and vacancies in the lattice. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and thermogravimetry showed the oxygen deficiency (δ value) to be ∼0.08 in reduced samples with enhanced carrier concentrations ∼2 × 10 21 cm -3 . Both carrier concentration and carrier mobility increased with sintering time, giving a maximum figure of merit (ZT) of 0.25. Selective additional doping by La or Nb, with no additional A site vacancies, led to the creation of additional carriers and reduced electrical resistivity. Together these led to enhanced ZT values of 0.345 at 1000 K. The contributions from oxygen vacancies and charge carriers have been investigated independently.

A new n-type half-Heusler thermoelectric material NbCoSb

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Lihong; Department of Physics and TcSUH, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204; He, Ran

2015-10-15

Highlights: • Half-Heusler alloy NbCoSb with 19 valence electron count was studied as TE material. • It is surprising that NbCoSb is n-type. • A maximum ZT of ∼0.4 is achieved at 700 °C without optimization. • It opens up a new route to develop new half-Heusler thermoelectric materials. • It is very interesting that a traditionally thought of VEC of 18 is not required. - Abstract: We surprisingly made a new n-type thermoelectric compound NbCoSb with half-Heusler (HH) structure having valence electron count of 19, different from the traditional 18, which opens up a new route to develop newmore » half-Heusler thermoelectric materials not following the traditional valence electron count of 18. The samples are made by arc melting followed by ball milling and hot pressing. The effect of hot pressing temperature on the thermoelectric properties of NbCoSb samples has been studied. A maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of ∼0.4 is achieved at 700 °C in NbCoSb sample that is hot pressed at 1000 °C. This work add a new member to HH compounds for thermoelectric applications, although the peak ZT of ∼0.4 is still lower than that of the traditional HHs. Moreover, it is very interesting to see that a traditionally thought of valence electron counts of 18 is not required.« less

Analysis of Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Their Functional Limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Hyun Jung

2015-01-01

The world's demand for energy is increasing dramatically, but the best energy conversion systems operate at approximately 30% efficiency. One way to decrease energy loss is in the recovery of waste heat using thermoelectric (TE) generators. A TE generator is device that generates electricity by exploiting heat flow across a thermal gradient. The efficiency of a TE material for power generation and cooling is determined by the dimensionless Figure of Merit (ZT): ZT = S(exp. 2)sigmaT/?: where S is the Seebeck coefficient, sigma is the electrical conductivity, T is the absolute temperature, and ? is the thermal conductivity. The parameters are not physically independent, but intrinsically coupled since they are a function of the transport properties of electrons. Traditional research on TE materials has focused on synthesizing bulk semiconductor-type materials that have low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity affording ZT values of 1. The optimization of the s/? ratio is difficult to achieve using current material formats, as these material constants are complementary. Recent areas of research are focusing on using nanostructural artifacts that introduce specific dislocations and boundary conditions that scatter the phonons. This disrupts the physical link between thermal (phonon) and electrical (electron) transport. The result is that ? is decreased without decreasing s. These material formats give ZT values of up to 2 which represent approximately 18% energy gain from waste heat recovery. The next challenge in developing the next generation of TE materials with superior performance is to tailor the interconnected thermoelectric physical parameters of the material system. In order to approach this problem, the fundamental physics of each parameter S, sigma, and ? need to be physically understood in their context of electron/phonon interaction for the construction of new high ZT thermoelectric devices. Is it possible to overcome the physical limit imposed by of the effect of phonon lattice oscillation and energetic electrons towards thermal conductivity? Is the Seebeck coefficient, based on the difference in voltage over temperature gradient ( deltaV/deltaT), an intrinsic parameter of each material? All these parameters were manipulated using nano-bridge and twin-lattice structural concepts at the NASA Langley Research Center. This talk will review the current trend of TE research to optimize the ZT and discuss about new approaches on increasing ZT within functional limits of each parameter.

A promising new thermoelectric material - Ruthenium silicide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vining, Cronin B.; Mccormack, Joseph A.; Zoltan, Andrew; Zoltan, Leslie D.

1991-01-01

Experimental and theoretical efforts directed toward increasing thermoelectric figure of merit values by a factor of 2 or 3 have been encouraging in several respects. An accurate and detailed theoretical model developed for n-type silicon-germanium (SiGe) indicates that ZT values several times higher than currently available are expected under certain conditions. These new, high ZT materials are expected to be significantly different from SiGe, but not unreasonably so. Several promising candidate materials have been identified which may meet the conditions required by theory. One such candidate, ruthenium silicide, currently under development at JPL, has been estimated to have the potential to exhibit figure of merit values 4 times higher than conventional SiGe materials. Recent results are summarized.

Panoscopic approach for high-performance Te-doped skutterudite

DOE PAGES

Liang, Tao; Su, Xianli; Yan, Yonggao; ...

2017-02-24

One-step plasma-activated sintering (OS-PAS) fabrication of single-phase high-performance CoSb 3-based skutterudite thermoelectric material with a hierarchical structure on a time scale of a few minutes is first reported here. The formation mechanism of the CoSb 3 phase and the effects of the current and pressure fields on the phase transformation and microstructure evolution are studied in the one-step PAS process. The application of the panoscopic approach to this system and its effect on the transport properties are investigated. The results show that the hierarchical structure forms during the formation of the skutterudite phase under the effects of both current andmore » sintering pressure. The samples fabricated by the OS-PAS technique have defined hierarchical structures, which scatter phonons more intensely over a broader range of frequencies and significantly reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. High-performance bulk Te-doped skutterudite with the maximum ZT of 1.1 at 820 K for the composition CoSb 2.875Te 0.125 was obtained. Such high ZT values rival those obtained from single filled skutterudites. As a result, this newly developed OS-PAS technique enhances the thermoelectric performance, dramatically shortens the synthesis period and provides a facile method for obtaining hierarchical thermoelectric materials on a large scale.« less

Synthesis and Characterization of Al-Doped Mg2Si Thermoelectric Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battiston, S.; Fiameni, S.; Saleemi, M.; Boldrini, S.; Famengo, A.; Agresti, F.; Stingaciu, M.; Toprak, M. S.; Fabrizio, M.; Barison, S.

2013-07-01

Magnesium silicide (Mg2Si)-based alloys are promising candidates for thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion for the middle to high range of temperature. These materials are very attractive for TE research because of the abundance of their constituent elements in the Earth's crust. Mg2Si could replace lead-based TE materials, due to its low cost, nontoxicity, and low density. In this work, the role of aluminum doping (Mg2Si:Al = 1: x for x = 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, and 0.04 molar ratio) in dense Mg2Si materials was investigated. The synthesis process was performed by planetary milling under inert atmosphere starting from commercial Mg2Si pieces and Al powder. After ball milling, the samples were sintered by means of spark plasma sintering to density >95%. The morphology, composition, and crystal structure of the samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction analyses. Moreover, Seebeck coefficient analyses, as well as electrical and thermal conductivity measurements were performed for all samples up to 600°C. The resultant estimated ZT values are comparable to those reported in the literature for these materials. In particular, the maximum ZT achieved was 0.50 for the x = 0.01 Al-doped sample at 600°C.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fleurial, J.; Caillat, T.; Borshchevsky, A.

Based on literature data and experimental findings at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), semiconductors with the skutterudite structure TPn{sub 3} (where T is a transition metal element such as Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, and Pd, and Pn is a pnicogen element such as P, As, and Sb) possess attractive characteristics and show a good potential for high {ital ZT} values. The high degree of covalency results in high mobility and low electrical resistivity values while a relatively complex 32 atom unit cell results in a reasonably low thermal conductivity. Both {ital n}-type and {ital p}-type electrical conductivity samples have beenmore » obtained. Room temperature Seebeck coefficient values up to 200 {mu}VK{sup {minus}1} for {ital p}-type and up to {minus}600 {mu}VK{sup {minus}1} for {ital n}-type have also been measured on several of these materials. In addition, the large number of isostructural compounds, solid solutions and related phases offer many possibilities for optimization of the transport properties to a specific temperature range of thermoelectric applications. By replacing the transition metal or the pnicogen atom by two of its neighboring elements and ensuring that the number of valence electrons is retained, many ternary phases can be successfully derived from the original CoAs{sub 3} skutterudite structure. Some of these materials were found to have substantially lower thermal conductivities compared to those of the binary compounds. The composition, band gap and doping level can be tailored to achieve maximum performance. An overview of the results obtained to date is provided and our approach to achieving high {ital ZT} materials are discussed in this paper. {copyright} {ital 1995} {ital American} {ital Institute} {ital of} {ital Physics}.« less

Effect of reducing agent strength on the growth and thermoelectric performance of nanocrystalline bismuth telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nour, Asmaa; Hassan, Nazly; Refaat, Heba M.; Soliman, Hesham M. A.; El-Dissouky, A.

2018-03-01

A novel combination of Trizma, as an environmentally friendly chelating agent, with either weak or strong reducing agent was used to produce n-type bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanocrystals via water-based chemical route. The synthesized powders were consolidated into pellets utilizing spark plasma sintering (SPS). The sintered n-type pellets exhibited potentially high electrical conductivities (5.29 × 105 and 5.23 × 105 S.m‑1) and low lattice thermal conductivities (0.12 and 0.25 Wm‑1K‑1) respectively. These thermoelectric (TE) properties suggested that the partially coherent boundaries permitted significant phonons scattering and electrons transfer. These led to an enhanced figure-of-merit (ZT) values (0.52 and 0.97), which are considered to be significant among the reported ZT values at room-temperature for the undoped synthesized n-type Bi2Te3 nanoparticles. Therefore, the current investigation displayed an efficient method to improve ZT of TE materials via nanostructure orchestrating, resulting in a worthy candidate n-type nanostructured Bi2Te3 for room-temperature TE applications.

Thickness-controlled electronic structure and thermoelectric performance of ultrathin SnS2 nanosheets.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Shen, Jinni; Ma, Zuju; Wu, Kechen

2017-08-21

The thermoelectric conversion efficiency of a material relies on a dimensionless parameter (ZT = S 2 σT/κ). It is a great challenge in enhancing the ZT value basically due to that the related transport factors of most of the bulk materials are inter-conditioned to each other, making it very difficult to simultaneously optimize these parameters. In this report, the negative correlation between power factor and thermal conductivity of nano-scaled SnS 2 multilayers is predicted by high-level first-principle computations combined with Boltzmann transport theory. By diminishing the thickness of SnS 2 nanosheet to about 3 L, the S and σ along a direction simultaneously increase whereas κ decreases, achieving a high ZT value of 1.87 at 800 K. The microscopic mechanisms for this unusual negative correlation in nano-scaled two dimensional (2D) material are elucidated and attributed to the quantum confinement effect. The results may open a way to explore the high ZT thermoelectric nano-devices for the practical thermoelectric applications.

Fabrication and thermoelectric properties of n-type (Sr0.9Gd0.1)TiO3 oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Liangliang; Qin, Xiaoying; Liu, Yongfei; Xin, Hongxing; Zhang, Jian; Li, Di; Song, Chunjun; Guo, Guanglei; Dou, Yunchen; Zou, Tianhua

2014-02-01

The n-type oxides (Sr0.9Gd0.1)TiO3 (SGTO) have been successfully prepared via a sol-gel process followed by solid-state sintering. The effects of sintering temperature on the thermoelectric (TE) properties of the SGTO samples have been investigated. The Seebeck coefficient showed no obvious difference, while the electrical conductivity increased with increasing sintering temperature, benefiting from an enhancement of densification. The maximum power factor (PF) value, 20.5μW/K2cm at 370 K in the metallic region, was observed for the sample sintered at 1748 K. As a result, the peak figure of merit (ZT) values for the samples sintered at higher than 1673 K were in the range of 0.28-0.30. All the results indicate that such synthetic method provides a simple and effective way to prepare TE oxides.

Excellent thermoelectricity performance of p-type SnSe along b axis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chunhong; Guo, Donglin; Li, Kejian; Shao, Bin; Chen, Dengming; Ma, Yilong; Sun, Jianchun

2018-02-01

The electronic and thermoelectric properties of SnSe were calculated using the first-principles calculations and the semiclassical Boltzmann theory. The accurate electronic structure (calculated by the TB-mBJ) resulted in the trend changing between the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity, which were in good agreement with the experimental data. During the Pnma phase, the maximal zT value increased from 0.32 to 1.62 as the temperature rose. During the Cmcm phase, the maximal zT value increased from 4.03 to 4.33 as the temperature rose. The theoretical investigation provided valuable insight into the relationship between the electronic structure and thermoelectric transport properties of SnSe material.

Grain-Size-Dependent Thermoelectric Properties of SrTiO3 3D Superlattice Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui-zhi; Koumoto, Kunihito

2013-07-01

The thermoelectric (TE) performance of SrTiO3 (STO) 3D superlattice ceramics with 2D electron gas grain boundaries (GBs) was theoretically investigated. The grain size dependence of the power factor, lattice thermal conductivity, and ZT value were calculated by using Boltzmann transport equations. It was found that nanostructured STO ceramics with smaller grain size have larger ZT value. This is because the quantum confinement effect, energy filtering effect, and interfacial phonon scattering at GBs all become stronger with decreasing grain size, resulting in higher power factor and lower lattice thermal conductivity. These findings will aid the design of nanostructured oxide ceramics with high TE performance.

Mechanochemical synthesis of high thermoelectric performance bulk Cu 2X (X = S, Se) materials

DOE PAGES

Yang, Dongwang; Su, Xianli; Yan, Yonggao; ...

2016-11-01

We devised a single-step mechanochemical synthesis/densification procedure for Cu 2X (X = S, Se) thermoelectric materials via applying a pressure of 3 GPa to a stoichiometric admixture of elemental Cu and X for 3 min at room temperature. The obtained bulk materials were single-phase, nearly stoichiometric structures with a relative packing density of 97% or higher. The structures contained high concentration of atomic scale defects and pores of 20-200 nm diameter. The above attributes gave rise to a high thermoelectric performance: at 873 K, the ZT value of Cu2S reached 1.07, about 2.1 times the value typical of samples grownmore » from the melt. The ZT value of Cu 2Se samples reached in excess of 1.2, close to the state-of-the-art value.« less

Co-precipitation synthesis of nanostructured Cu3SbSe4 and its Sn-doped sample with high thermoelectric performance.

PubMed

Li, Di; Li, Rui; Qin, Xiao-Ying; Song, Chun-Jun; Xin, Hong-Xing; Wang, Ling; Zhang, Jian; Guo, Guang-lei; Zou, Tian-Hua; Liu, Yong-Fei; Zhu, Xiao-Guang

2014-01-28

Large-scale fabrication of nanostructured Cu3SbSe4 and its Sn-doped sample Cu3Sb0.98Sn0.02Se4 through a low-temperature co-precipitation route is reported. The effects of hot-pressing temperatures, time and Sn doping on the thermoelectric properties of Cu3SbSe4 are explored. The maximum figure of merit ZTmax obtained here reaches 0.62 for the un-doped Cu3SbSe4, which is three times as large as that of Cu3SbSe4 synthesized by the fusion method. Due to the ameliorated power factor by optimized carrier concentration and the reduced lattice thermal conductivity by enhanced phonon scattering at grain interfaces, Sn doping leads to an improvement of thermoelectric performance as compared to Cu3SbSe4. The maximum ZT for Cu3Sb0.98Sn0.02Se4 is 1.05 in this work, which is 50% larger than the largest value reported.

Analysis of Nanoprecipitates in a Na-Doped PbTe-SrTe Thermoelectric Material with a High Figure of Merit.

PubMed

Kim, Yoon-Jun; Zhao, Li-Dong; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G; Seidman, David N

2017-07-05

The dimensionless figure of merit, ZT, of bulk thermoelectric materials depends mainly on the transport properties of charge carriers and heat-carrying phonons. PbTe-4 mol % SrTe doped with 2 mol % Na (Pb 0.94 Na 0.02 Sr 0.04 Te) is a nanostructured material system that exhibits a ZT higher than 2. The precipitate size distribution of SrTe precipitates is believed to play a key role. This raises the question of whether its performance is limited by precipitate coarsening (Ostwald ripening) at elevated temperatures. Herein, we utilize an atom-probe tomography (APT) to study the number density and mean radii of precipitates in concert with partial radial distribution functions (RDFs) of individual atoms. We find that the SrTe precipitates actually contain oxygen: SrTe 1-x O x . We correlate this information with the overall ZT performance, specifically focusing on the electrical and lattice thermal conductivities after isothermal heat treatments at 300 and 400 °C for 7 days, followed by furnace cooling. Comparison of the samples annealed at 400 and 300 °C demonstrates significant coarsening of SrTe 1-x O x precipitates as well as strong segregation of oxygen impurities in the SrTe 1-x O x precipitates. Additionally, on the basis of the partial RDFs, the Na dopant atoms cluster with other Na atoms as well as with Pb, Te, and Sr atoms; clustering depends strongly on the annealing temperature and concomitantly affects the overall ZT values. We found that the coarsening slightly increases the lattice thermal conductivity and also increases the electrical conductivity, thereby having little or even a beneficial effect on the ZT values. Importantly, these findings demonstrate that APT enables quantitative analyses in three dimensions of the PbTe-4 mol % SrTe samples in addition to correlation of their properties with the thermoelectric performance.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance in three-dimensional superlattice of topological insulator thin films

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We show that certain three-dimensional (3D) superlattice nanostructure based on Bi2Te3 topological insulator thin films has better thermoelectric performance than two-dimensional (2D) thin films. The 3D superlattice shows a predicted peak value of ZT of approximately 6 for gapped surface states at room temperature and retains a high figure of merit ZT of approximately 2.5 for gapless surface states. In contrast, 2D thin films with gapless surface states show no advantage over bulk Bi2Te3. The enhancement of the thermoelectric performance originates from a combination of the reduction of lattice thermal conductivity by phonon-interface scattering, the high mobility of the topologically protected surface states, the enhancement of Seebeck coefficient, and the reduction of electron thermal conductivity by energy filtering. Our study shows that the nanostructure design of topological insulators provides a possible new way of ZT enhancement. PMID:23072433

Enhanced thermoelectric performance in three-dimensional superlattice of topological insulator thin films.

PubMed

Fan, Zheyong; Zheng, Jiansen; Wang, Hui-Qiong; Zheng, Jin-Cheng

2012-10-16

We show that certain three-dimensional (3D) superlattice nanostructure based on Bi2Te3 topological insulator thin films has better thermoelectric performance than two-dimensional (2D) thin films. The 3D superlattice shows a predicted peak value of ZT of approximately 6 for gapped surface states at room temperature and retains a high figure of merit ZT of approximately 2.5 for gapless surface states. In contrast, 2D thin films with gapless surface states show no advantage over bulk Bi2Te3. The enhancement of the thermoelectric performance originates from a combination of the reduction of lattice thermal conductivity by phonon-interface scattering, the high mobility of the topologically protected surface states, the enhancement of Seebeck coefficient, and the reduction of electron thermal conductivity by energy filtering. Our study shows that the nanostructure design of topological insulators provides a possible new way of ZT enhancement.

High-performance thermoelectricity in edge-over-edge zinc-porphyrin molecular wires.

PubMed

Noori, Mohammed; Sadeghi, Hatef; Lambert, Colin J

2017-04-20

If high efficiency organic thermoelectric materials could be identified, then these would open the way to a range of energy harvesting technologies and Peltier coolers using flexible and transparent thin-film materials. We have compared the thermoelectric properties of three zinc porphyrin (ZnP) dimers and a ZnP monomer and found that the "edge-over-edge" dimer formed from stacked ZnP rings possesses a high electrical conductance, negligible phonon thermal conductance and a high Seebeck coefficient of the order of 300 μV K -1 . These combine to yield a predicted room-temperature figure of merit of ZT ≈ 4, which is the highest room-temperature ZT ever reported for a single organic molecule. This high value of ZT is a consequence of the low phonon thermal conductance arising from the stacked nature of the porphyrin rings, which hinders phonon transport through the edge-over-edge molecule and enhances the Seebeck coefficient.

Refractory materials for high-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, C.; Emin, D.

1983-01-01

Theoretical work of two decades ago adequately explained the transport behavior and effectively guided the development of thermoelectric materials of high conversion efficiencies of conventional semiconductors (e.g., SiGe alloys). The more significant contributions involved the estimation of optimum doping concentrations, the reduction of thermal conductivity by solid solution doping and the development of a variety of materials with ZT approx. 1 in the temperature range 300 K to 1200 K. ZT approx. 1 is not a theoretical limitation although, experimentally, values in excess of one were not achieved. Work has continued with emphasis on higher temperature energy conversion. A number of promising materials have been discovered in which it appears that ZT 1 is realizable. These materials are divided into two classes: (1) the rare-earth chalcogenides which behave as itinerant highly-degenerate n-type semiconductors at room-temperature, and (2) the boron-rich borides, which exhibit p-type small-polaronic hopping conductivity.

Effect of selenium deficiency on the thermoelectric properties of n -type In 4 Se 3 - x compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, G. H.; Lan, Y. C.; Wang, H.

2011-03-01

Thermoelectric properties of dense bulk polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 - x ( x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.65, and 0.8) compounds are investigated. A peak dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ( ZT ) of about 1 is achieved for x = 0.65 and 0.8. The peak ZT is about 50% higher than the previously reported highest value for polycrystalline In 4 Se 3 - x compounds. Our In 4 Se 3 - x samples were prepared by ball milling and hot pressing. We show that it is possible to effectively control the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity by controllingmore » selenium (Se) deficiency x . The ZT enhancement is mainly attributed to the thermal conductivity reduction due to the increased phonon scattering by Se deficiency, defects, and nanoscale inclusions in the ball-milled and hot-pressed dense bulk In 4 Se 3 - x samples.« less

Effect of selenium deficiency on the thermoelectric properties of n-type In 4Se 3-x compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, G H; Lan, Y C; Wang, H

2011-03-04

Thermoelectric properties of dense bulk polycrystalline In 4Se 3-x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.65, and 0.8) compounds are investigated. A peak dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of about 1 is achieved for x = 0.65 and 0.8. The peak ZT is about 50% higher than the previously reported highest value for polycrystalline In 4Se 3-x} compounds. Our In 4Se 3-x samples were prepared by ball milling and hot pressing. We show that it is possible to effectively control the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity by controlling selenium (Se) deficiency x. The ZT enhancement is mainly attributed to themore » thermal conductivity reduction due to the increased phonon scattering by Se deficiency, defects, and nanoscale inclusions in the ball-milled and hot-pressed dense bulk In 4Se 3-x samples.« less

Ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric figure of merit in SnSe crystals.

PubMed

Zhao, Li-Dong; Lo, Shih-Han; Zhang, Yongsheng; Sun, Hui; Tan, Gangjian; Uher, Ctirad; Wolverton, C; Dravid, Vinayak P; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

2014-04-17

The thermoelectric effect enables direct and reversible conversion between thermal and electrical energy, and provides a viable route for power generation from waste heat. The efficiency of thermoelectric materials is dictated by the dimensionless figure of merit, ZT (where Z is the figure of merit and T is absolute temperature), which governs the Carnot efficiency for heat conversion. Enhancements above the generally high threshold value of 2.5 have important implications for commercial deployment, especially for compounds free of Pb and Te. Here we report an unprecedented ZT of 2.6 ± 0.3 at 923 K, realized in SnSe single crystals measured along the b axis of the room-temperature orthorhombic unit cell. This material also shows a high ZT of 2.3 ± 0.3 along the c axis but a significantly reduced ZT of 0.8 ± 0.2 along the a axis. We attribute the remarkably high ZT along the b axis to the intrinsically ultralow lattice thermal conductivity in SnSe. The layered structure of SnSe derives from a distorted rock-salt structure, and features anomalously high Grüneisen parameters, which reflect the anharmonic and anisotropic bonding. We attribute the exceptionally low lattice thermal conductivity (0.23 ± 0.03 W m(-1) K(-1) at 973 K) in SnSe to the anharmonicity. These findings highlight alternative strategies to nanostructuring for achieving high thermoelectric performance.

An impurity intermediate band due to Pb doping induced promising thermoelectric performance of Ca5In2Sb6.

PubMed

Feng, Zhenzhen; Wang, Yuanxu; Yan, Yuli; Zhang, Guangbiao; Yang, Jueming; Zhang, Jihua; Wang, Chao

2015-06-21

Band engineering is one of the effective approaches for designing ideal thermoelectric materials. Introducing an intermediate band in the band gap of semiconducting thermoelectric compounds may largely increase the carrier concentration and improve the electrical conductivity of these compounds. We test this hypothesis by Pb doping in Zintl Ca5In2Sb6. In the current work, we have systematically investigated the electronic structure and thermoelectric performances of substitutional doping with Pb on In sites at a doping level of 5% (0.2 e per cell) for Ca5In2Sb6 by using density functional theory combined with semi-classical Boltzmann theory. It is found that in contrast to Zn doping, Pb doping introduces a partially filled intermediate band in the band gap of Ca5In2Sb6, which originates from the Pb s states by weakly hybridizing with the Sb p states. Such an intermediate band dramatically increases the electrical conductivity of Ca5In2Sb6 and has little detrimental effect on its Seebeck coefficient, which may increase its thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT. Interestingly, a maximum ZT value of 2.46 may be achieved at 900 K for crystalline Pb-doped Ca5In2Sb6 when the carrier concentration is optimized. Therefore, Pb-doped Ca5In2Sb6 may be a promising thermoelectric material.

Ga-Doping-Induced Carrier Tuning and Multiphase Engineering in n-type PbTe with Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance.

PubMed

Wang, Zhengshang; Wang, Guoyu; Wang, Ruifeng; Zhou, Xiaoyuan; Chen, Zhiyu; Yin, Cong; Tang, Mingjing; Hu, Qing; Tang, Jun; Ang, Ran

2018-06-22

P-type lead telluride (PbTe) emerged as a promising thermoelectric material for intermediate-temperature waste-heat-energy harvesting. However, n-type PbTe still confronted with a considerable challenge owing to its relatively low figure of merit ZT and conversion efficiency η, limiting widespread thermoelectric applications. Here, we report that Ga-doping in n-type PbTe can optimize carrier concentration and thus improve the power factor. Moreover, further experimental and theoretical evidence reveals that Ga-doping-induced multiphase structures with nano- to micrometer size can simultaneously modulate phonon transport, leading to dramatic reduction of lattice thermal conductivity. As a consequence, a tremendous enhancement of ZT value at 823 K reaches ∼1.3 for n-type Pb 0.97 Ga 0.03 Te. In particular, in a wide temperature range from 323 to 823 K, the average ZT ave value of ∼0.9 and the calculated conversion efficiency η of ∼13% are achieved by Ga doping. The present findings demonstrate the great potential in Ga-doped PbTe thermoelectric materials through a synergetic carrier tuning and multiphase engineering strategy.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alvarado, Andrew; Attapattu, Jeevake; Zhang, Yi

Zinc oxide (ZnO) undergoes a pressure-induced structural transition from its normal ambient-pressure wurtzite (WZ) phase to a rocksalt (RS) phase around 10 GPa. A recent experiment shows that the high-pressure RS ZnO phase can be recovered and stabilized at ambient conditions, which raises exciting prospects of expanding the range of properties of ZnO. For a fundamental understanding of the RS ZnO phase, we have performed first-principles calculations to determine its electronic, phonon, and thermodynamic properties at high (20 GPa) and ambient (0 GPa) pressure. Furthermore, we have calculated its electrical and thermal transport properties, which allow an evaluation of itsmore » thermoelectric figure of merit ZT at different temperature and doping levels. Our calculations show that the ambient-pressure RS ZnO phase can reach ZT values of 0.25 to 0.3 under both n-type and p-type doping in a large temperature range of 400 K to 800 K, which is considerably lower than the temperature range of 1400 K to 1600 K where WZ ZnO reaches similar ZT values. Lastly, these results establish RS ZnO as a promising material for thermoelectric devices designed to operate at temperatures desirable for many heat recovery applications.« less

Modeling of the Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type IrSb(sub 3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, J.

1994-01-01

IrSb(sub 3) is a compound of the skutterudite family of materials now being investigated at JPL. A combination of experimental and theoretical approaches has been recently applied at JPL to evaluate the potential of several thermoelectric materials such as n-type and p-type Si(sub 80) Ge(sub 20) alloys, n-type and p-type Bi(sub 2) Te(sub 3)-based alloys and p-type Ru(sub 2) Ge(sub 3) compound. The use of a comprehensive model for the thermal and electrical transport properties of a given material over its full temperature range of usefulness is a powerful tool for guiding experimental optimization of the composition, temperature and doping level as well as for predicting the maximum ZT value likely to be achieved.

Improvement of Accuracy of Proper Motions of Hipparcos Catalogue Stars Using Optical Latitude Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damljanovic, G.

2009-09-01

Commission 19 (Earth Rotation) of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) established the Working Group on Earth Rotation in the Hipparcos Reference Frame (WG ERHRF) in 1995 to collect the optical observations of latitude and universal time variations, made during 1899.7 -- 1992.0 in line with the Earth orientation programmes (to derive Earth Orientation Parameters -- EOP), with Dr. Jan Vondrák (Astronomical Institute of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague) as the head of WG ERHRF. We participated in this international project using Belgrade Visual Zenith -- Telescope (BLZ) latitude data for the period 1949.0 -- 1986.0, after a new reduction of BLZ data made in my MSc thesis, finished in 1997 at the Faculty of Mathematics of University of Belgrade. Dr. Vondrák collected 4.4 million optical observations of latitude/universal time variations made at 33 observatories. The data were used for the EOP investigations, Hipparcos satellite Catalogue -- radio sources connection, etc. Nowadays, it is customary to correct the positions and proper motions of stars of Hipparcos Catalogue (as an optical reference frame) using ground -- based observations of some Hipparcos stars. In this PhD thesis we use the latitude observations made with several types of classical astrometric instruments: visual (ZT) and floating zenith -- telescope (FZT), visual zenith tube (VZT) and photographic zenith tube (PZT); 26 different instruments located at many observatories all over the world (used in the programs of monitoring the Earth orientation during the 20th century). We received the data from Dr. Vondrák via private communication. The observatories and instruments are: International Latitude Service -- ILS (Carloforte -- CA ZT, Cincinnati -- CI ZT, Gaithersburg -- GT ZT, Kitab -- KZ ZT, Mizusawa -- MZZ ZT, Tschardjui -- TS ZT and Ukiah -- UK ZT), Belgrade (BLZ ZT), Blagoveschtschensk (BK ZT), Irkutsk (IRZ ZT), Poltava (POL ZT), Pulkovo (PU and PUZ ZT), Varsovie (VJZ ZT), Mizusawa (MZL FZT), Tuorla -- Turku (TT VZT), Mizusawa (MZP and MZQ PZT), Mount Stromlo (MS PZT), Ondřejov (OJP PZT), Punta Indio (PIP PZT), Richmond (RCP and RCQ PZT) and Washington (WA, W and WGQ PZT). The task is to improve the proper motions in declination of the observed Hipparcos stars. The original method was developed, and it consists of removing from the instantaneous observed latitudes all known effects (polar motion and some local instrumental errors). The corrected latitudes are then used to calculate the corrections of the Hipparcos proper motions in declination (Damljanović 2005). The Least Squares Method (LSM) is used with the linear model. We compared the calculated results with ARIHIP and EOC-2 data, and found a good agreement. The newly obtained values of proper motions in declination are substantially more precise than those of the Hipparcos Catalogue. It is because the time interval covered by the latitude observations (tens of years) is much longer than the Hipparcos one (less than four years), and because of the great number of observations made during this interval (Damljanović et al. 2006). Our method is completely different from the one used to compute the EOC-2 catalogue (Vondrák 2004). It was also an almost independent check of the proper motions of EOC-2. The catalogue EOC-2 is used in this thesis to distinguish the corrections of the two stars of a pair observed by using the Horrebow -- Talcott method. The difference between the two proper motions is constrained by the difference in the EOC-2 and Hipparcos catalogues (Damljanović and Pejović 2006). The main result of the thesis is the catalogue of proper motions in declination of 2347 Hipparcos stars.

Can productivity and profitability be enhanced in intensively managed cereal systems while reducing the environmental footprint of production? Assessing sustainable intensification options in the breadbasket of India.

PubMed

Kumar, Virender; Jat, Hanuman S; Sharma, Parbodh C; Balwinder-Singh; Gathala, Mahesh K; Malik, Ram K; Kamboj, Baldev R; Yadav, Arvind K; Ladha, Jagdish K; Raman, Anitha; Sharma, D K; McDonald, Andrew

2018-01-15

In the most productive area of the Indo-Gangetic Plains in Northwest India where high yields of rice and wheat are commonplace, a medium-term cropping system trial was conducted in Haryana State. The goal of the study was to identify integrated management options for further improving productivity and profitability while rationalizing resource use and reducing environmental externalities (i.e., "sustainable intensification", SI) by drawing on the principles of diversification, precision management, and conservation agriculture. Four scenarios were evaluated: Scenario 1 - "business-as-usual" [conventional puddled transplanted rice (PTR) followed by ( fb ) conventional-till wheat]; Scenario 2 - reduced tillage with opportunistic diversification and precision resource management [PTR fb zero-till (ZT) wheat fb ZT mungbean]; Scenario 3 - ZT for all crops with opportunistic diversification and precision resource management [ZT direct-seeded rice (ZT-DSR) fb ZT wheat fb ZT mungbean]; and Scenario 4 - ZT for all crops with strategic diversification and precision resource management [ZT maize fb ZT wheat fb ZT mungbean]. Results of this five-year study strongly suggest that, compared with business-as-usual practices, SI strategies that incorporate multi-objective yield, economic, and environmental criteria can be more productive when used in these production environments. For Scenarios 2, 3, and 4, system-level increases in productivity (10-17%) and profitability (24-50%) were observed while using less irrigation water (15-71% reduction) and energy (17-47% reduction), leading to 15-30% lower global warming potential (GWP), with the ranges reflecting the implications of specific innovations. Scenario 3, where early wheat sowing was combined with ZT along with no puddling during the rice phase, resulted in a 13% gain in wheat yield compared with Scenario 2. A similar gain in wheat yield was observed in Scenario 4 vis-à-vis Scenario 2. Compared to Scenario 1, wheat yields in Scenarios 3 and 4 were 15-17% higher, whereas, in Scenario 2, yield was either similar in normal years or higher in warmer years. During the rainy ( kharif ) season, ZT-DSR provided yields similar to or higher than those of PTR in the first three years and lower (11-30%) in Years 4 and 5, a result that provides a note of caution for interpreting technology performance through short-term trials or simply averaging results over several years. The resource use and economic and environmental advantages of DSR were more stable through time, including reductions in irrigation water (22-40%), production cost (11-17%), energy inputs (13-34%), and total GWP (14-32%). The integration of "best practices" in PTR in Scenario 2 resulted in reductions of 24% in irrigation water and 21% in GWP, with a positive impact on yield (0.9 t/ha) and profitability compared to conventional PTR, demonstrating the power of simple management changes to generate improved SI outcomes. When ZT maize was used as a diversification option instead of rice in Scenario 4, reductions in resource use jumped to 82-89% for irrigation water and 49-66% for energy inputs, with 13-40% lower GWP, similar or higher rice equivalent yield, and higher profitability (27-73%) in comparison to the rice-based scenarios. Despite these advantages, maize value chains are not robust in this part of India and public procurement is absent. Results do demonstrate that transformative opportunities exist to break the cycle of stagnating yields and inefficient resource use in the most productive cereal-based cropping systems of South Asia. However, these SI entry points need to be placed in the context of the major drivers of change in the region, including market conditions, risks, and declining labor availability, and matching with the needs and interests of different types of farmers.

Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of Rashba semiconductor BiTeBr with intensive texture.

PubMed

Xin, Jia-Zhan; Fu, Chen-Guang; Shi, Wu-Jun; Li, Guo-Wei; Auffermann, Gudrun; Qi, Yan-Peng; Zhu, Tie-Jun; Zhao, Xin-Bing; Felser, Claudia

2018-01-01

Bismuth tellurohalides with Rashba-type spin splitting exhibit unique Fermi surface topology and are developed as promising thermoelectric materials. However, BiTeBr, which belongs to this class of materials, is rarely investigated in terms of the thermoelectric transport properties. In the study, polycrystalline bulk BiTeBr with intensive texture was synthesized via spark plasma sintering (SPS). Additionally, its thermoelectric properties above room temperature were investigated along both the in-plane and out-plane directions, and they exhibit strong anisotropy. Low sound velocity along two directions is found and contributes to its low lattice thermal conductivity. Polycrystalline BiTeBr exhibits relatively good thermoelectric performance along the in-plane direction, with a maximum dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of 0.35 at 560 K. Further enhancements of ZT are expected by utilizing systematic optimization strategies.

Using Ge Secondary Phases to Enhance the Power Factor and Figure of Merit of Ge17Sb2Te20

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Jared B.; Morelli, Donald T.

2017-05-01

Thermoelectric materials are the leading candidate today for applications in solid-state waste-heat recovery/cooling applications. Research and engineering has pushed the ZT, and overall conversion efficiency, of these materials to values which can be deemed practical for commercialization. However, many of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials of today utilize elements which are toxic, such as Ag, Pb, Tl, and Cd. Alloys of GeTe and Sb2Te3 were first explored for their applications in phase-change memory, because of their ability to rapidly alternate between crystalline and amorphous phases. Recently, these materials have been identified as materials with ZT ( S 2 T/ ρκ, where S is the Seebeck coefficient, ρ is the electrical resistivity, T is the operating temperature, and κ is the thermal conductivity) much greater than unity. In this work, the influence of elemental Ge as a secondary phase on transport in Ge17Sb2Te20 was explored. It was found that Ge introduces an additional scattering mechanism, which leads to increased electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor values as high as 36 μW cm-1 K-2. The thermal conductivity was slightly reduced and the ZT was enhanced across the entire temperature range of measurement, with peak values greater than 2.

A strategy to optimize the thermoelectric performance in a spark plasma sintering process

PubMed Central

Chiu, Wan-Ting; Chen, Cheng-Lung; Chen, Yang-Yuan

2016-01-01

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is currently widely applied to existing alloys as a means of further enhancing the alloys’ figure of merit. However, the determination of the optimal sintering condition is challenging in the SPS process. This report demonstrates a systematic way to independently optimize the Seebeck coefficient S and the ratio of electrical to thermal conductivity (σ/κ) and thus achieve the maximum figure of merit zT = S2(σ/κ)T. Sb2−xInxTe3 (x = 0–0.2) were chosen as examples to validate the method. Although high sintering temperature and pressure are helpful in enhancing the compactness and electrical conductivity of pressed samples, the resultant deteriorated Seebeck coefficient and increasing thermal conductivity eventually offset the benefit. We found that the optimal sintering temperature coincides with temperatures at which the maximum Seebeck coefficient begins to degrade, whereas the optimal sintering pressure coincided with the pressure at which the σ/κ ratio reaches a maximum. Based on this principle, the optimized sintering conditions were determined, and the zT of Sb1.9In0.1Te3 is raised to 0.92 at 600 K, showing an approximately 84% enhancement. This work develops a facile strategy for selecting the optimal SPS sintering condition to further enhance the zT of bulk specimens. PMID:26975209

Probing a steep EoS for dark energy with latest observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaber, Mariana; Macorra, Axel de la

2018-01-01

We present a parametrization for the Dark Energy Equation of State "EoS" which has a rich structure, performing a transition at pivotal redshift zT between the present day value w0 to an early time wi =wa +w0 ≡ w(z ≫ 0) with a steepness given in terms of q parameter. The proposed parametrization is w =w0 +wa(z /zT) q /(1 +(z /zT)) q , with w0, wi, q and zT constant parameters. It reduces to the widely used EoS w =w0 +wa(1 - a) for zT = q = 1 . This transition is motivated by scalar field dynamics such as for example quintessence models. We study if a late time transition is favored by BAO measurements combined with local determination of H0 and information from the CMB. We find that our dynamical DE model allows to simultaneously fit H0 from local determinations and Planck CMB measurements, alleviating the tension obtained in a ΛCDM model. We obtain a smaller χ2 in our DE model than in ΛCDM showing that a dynamical DE is preferred with a reduction of 4.8%, 20.2% and 42.8% using BAO + H0, BAO + CMB and BAO + CMB + H0 datasets, respectively. However due to the increased number of free parameters in the EoS information criteria favors ΛCDM over our DE model at this stage. Nevertheless it is crucial to obtain the dynamics of DE from the observational data to show the path for theoretical DE models based on fundamental physics.

Improved thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3-xSex alloys by melt spinning and resistance pressing sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Xinzhi; Fan, Xi'an; Rong, Zhenzhou; Yang, Fan; Gan, Zhanghua; Li, Guangqiang

2014-03-01

Starting from bismuth, tellurium and selenium chunks, n-type Bi2Te3-xSex (x ⩽ 0.3) alloys were obtained by melt spinning (MS) combined with a resistance pressing sintering (RPS) process. The phases, microstructures and compositions of the samples were evaluated by x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy during each step in the preparation process, respectively. The influences of Se doping, MS and RPS processes on the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Bi2Te3-xSex alloys were investigated in detail. The Bi2Te3-xSex powders could be well compacted by the RPS process and the relative densities of the bulks prepared by RPS were all higher than 96%. The partially oriented lamellar structure could be observed at some regions of the samples prepared by RPS, and the monolayer thickness of the lamellar structure in the MS-RPS samples was smaller than that in the smelting-RPS sample. The MS process was confirmed as an excellent method to obtain fine microstructures and low lattice thermal conductivity for the TE materials. All evidence about electrical and thermal transport properties suggested that suitably increasing the Se content could effectively improve the ZT value. The maximum ZT value of 0.84 was obtained for the Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 prepared by MS-RPS at 423 K. As opposed to the conventional hot pressing and spark plasma sintering, the RPS method introduced here is more suitable for practical industrial application due to its cost saving and high efficiency.

Efficacy of anti-RON antibody Zt/g4-drug maytansinoid conjugation (Anti-RON ADC) as a novel therapeutics for targeted colorectal cancer therapy.

PubMed

Feng, Liang; Yao, Hang-Ping; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Yong-Qing; Zhou, Jianwei; Zhang, Ruiwen; Wang, Ming-Hai

2014-12-01

The receptor tyrosine kinase RON is critical in epithelial tumorigenesis and a drug target for cancer therapy. Here, we report the development and therapeutic efficacy of a novel anti-RON antibody Zt/g4-maytansinoid (DM1) conjugates for targeted colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy. Zt/g4 (IgG1a/κ) was conjugated to DM1 via thioether linkage to form Zt/g4-DM1 with a drug-antibody ratio of 4:1. CRC cell lines expressing different levels of RON were tested in vitro to determine Zt/g4-DM1-induced RON endocytosis, cell-cycle arrest, and cytotoxicity. Efficacy of Zt/g4-DM1 in vivo was evaluated in mouse xenograft CRC tumor model. Zt/g4-DM1 rapidly induced RON endocytosis, arrested cell cycle at G2-M phase, reduced cell viability, and caused massive cell death within 72 hours. In mouse xenograft CRC models, Zt/g4-DM1 at a single dose of 20 mg/kg body weight effectively delayed CRC cell-mediated tumor growth up to 20 days. In a multiple dose-ranging study with a five injection regimen, Zt/g4-DM1 inhibited more than 90% tumor growth at doses of 7, 10, and 15 mg/kg body weight. The minimal dose achieving 50% of tumor inhibition was approximately 5.0 mg/kg. The prepared Zt/g4-DM1 is stable at 37°C for up to 30 days. At 60 mg/kg, Zt/g4-DM1 had a moderate toxicity in vivo with an average of 12% reduction in mouse body weight. Zt/g4-DM1 is highly effective in targeted inhibition of CRC cell-derived tumor growth in mouse xenograft models. This work provides the basis for development of humanized Zt/g4-DM1 for RON-targeted CRC therapy in the future. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Time-of-Day Dictates Transcriptional Inflammatory Responses to Cytotoxic Chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Borniger, Jeremy C.; Walker II, William H.; Gaudier-Diaz, Monica M.; Stegman, Curtis J.; Zhang, Ning; Hollyfield, Jennifer L.; Nelson, Randy J.; DeVries, A. Courtney

2017-01-01

Many cytotoxic chemotherapeutics elicit a proinflammatory response which is often associated with chemotherapy-induced behavioral alterations. The immune system is under circadian influence; time-of-day may alter inflammatory responses to chemotherapeutics. We tested this hypothesis by administering cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (Cyclo/Dox), a common treatment for breast cancer, to female BALB/c mice near the beginning of the light or dark phase. Mice were injected intravenously with Cyclo/Dox or the vehicle two hours after lights on (zeitgeber time (ZT2), or two hours after lights off (ZT14). Tissue was collected 1, 3, 9, and 24 hours later. Mice injected with Cyclo/Dox at ZT2 lost more body mass than mice injected at ZT14. Cyclo/Dox injected at ZT2 increased the expression of several pro-inflammatory genes within the spleen; this was not evident among mice treated at ZT14. Transcription of enzymes within the liver responsible for converting Cyclo/Dox into their toxic metabolites increased among mice injected at ZT2; furthermore, transcription of these enzymes correlated with splenic pro-inflammatory gene expression when treatment occurred at ZT2 but not ZT14. The pattern was reversed in the brain; pro-inflammatory gene expression increased among mice injected at ZT14. These data suggest that inflammatory responses to chemotherapy depend on time-of-day and are tissue specific. PMID:28117419

Comparison of magnetic and thermoelectric properties of (Nd,Ca)BaCo2O5.5 and (Nd,Ca)CoO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesnik, S.; Dabrowski, B.; Chmaissem, O.; Wojciechowski, K.; Świerczek, K.

2012-04-01

Magnetic and thermoelectric properties of Nd1-xCaxBaCo2O5.5 and Nd1-xCaxCoO3 have been studied. Ca doping in Nd1-xCaxBaCo2O5.5 (x ≤ 0.2) preserves the metal to insulator transition (MIT) at 340-360 K. While the antiferromagnetic state disappears upon doping, the Curie temperature is increasing and becomes close to MIT for x > 0.12. The magnetic susceptibility of Nd1-xCaxCoO3 is paramagnetic for x up to 0.2, similar to the parent compound, with some indication of cluster-glass-like behavior at temperatures below 30 K. The increasing effective paramagnetic moments with doping suggest a low spin state of Co3+ and a high spin state of Co4+. Maximum observed ZT reaches a value close to 0.2 for x = 0.15 at 800 K, which is one of the highest values for perovskite cobaltites.

Changes in microstructure and physical properties of skutterudites after severe plastic deformation.

PubMed

Rogl, Gerda; Grytsiv, Andriy; Bursik, Jiri; Horky, Jelena; Anbalagan, Ramakrishnan; Bauer, Ernst; Mallik, Ramesh Chandra; Rogl, Peter; Zehetbauer, Michael

2015-02-07

The best p-type skutterudites with ZT > 1.1 so far are didymium (DD) filled, Fe/Co substituted, Sb-based skutterudites. DD0.68Fe3CoSb12 was prepared using an annealing-reacting-melting-quenching technique followed by ball milling and hot pressing. After severe plastic deformation via high-pressure torsion (HPT), no phase changes but particular structural variations were achieved, leading to modified transport properties with higher ZT values. Although after measurement-induced heating some of the HPT induced defects were annealed out, a still attractive ZT-value was preserved. In this paper we focus on explanations for these changes via TEM investigations, Raman spectroscopy and texture measurements. The grain sizes and dislocation densities, evaluated from TEM images, showed that (i) the majority of cracks generated during high-pressure torsion are healed during annealing, leaving only small pores, that (ii) the grains have grown, and that (iii) the dislocation density is decreased. While Raman spectra indicate that after HPT processing and annealing the vibration modes related to the shorter Sb-Sb bonds in the Sb4 rings are more affected than those related to the longer Sb-Sb bonds, almost no visible changes were observed in the pole intensity and/or orientation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alvarado, Andrew; Attapattu, Jeevake; Zhang, Yi

Zinc oxide (ZnO) undergoes a pressure-induced structural transition from its normal ambient-pressure wurtzite (WZ) phase to a rocksalt (RS) phase around 10 GPa. A recent experiment shows that the high-pressure RS ZnO phase can be recovered and stabilized at ambient conditions, which raises exciting prospects of expanding the range of properties of ZnO. For a fundamental understanding of the RS ZnO phase, we have performed first-principles calculations to determine its electronic, phonon, and thermodynamic properties at high (20 GPa) and ambient (0 GPa) pressure. Furthermore, we have calculated its electrical and thermal transport properties, which allow an evaluation of its thermoelectric figure ofmore » merit ZT at different temperature and doping levels. Our calculations show that the ambient-pressure RS ZnO phase can reach ZT values of 0.25 to 0.3 under both n-type and p-type doping in a large temperature range of 400 K to 800 K, which is considerably lower than the temperature range of 1400 K to 1600 K where WZ ZnO reaches similar ZT values. These results establish RS ZnO as a promising material for thermoelectric devices designed to operate at temperatures desirable for many heat recovery applications.« less

Thermoelectric properties of rocksalt ZnO from first-principles calculations

DOE PAGES

Alvarado, Andrew; Attapattu, Jeevake; Zhang, Yi; ...

2015-10-22

Zinc oxide (ZnO) undergoes a pressure-induced structural transition from its normal ambient-pressure wurtzite (WZ) phase to a rocksalt (RS) phase around 10 GPa. A recent experiment shows that the high-pressure RS ZnO phase can be recovered and stabilized at ambient conditions, which raises exciting prospects of expanding the range of properties of ZnO. For a fundamental understanding of the RS ZnO phase, we have performed first-principles calculations to determine its electronic, phonon, and thermodynamic properties at high (20 GPa) and ambient (0 GPa) pressure. Furthermore, we have calculated its electrical and thermal transport properties, which allow an evaluation of itsmore » thermoelectric figure of merit ZT at different temperature and doping levels. Our calculations show that the ambient-pressure RS ZnO phase can reach ZT values of 0.25 to 0.3 under both n-type and p-type doping in a large temperature range of 400 K to 800 K, which is considerably lower than the temperature range of 1400 K to 1600 K where WZ ZnO reaches similar ZT values. Lastly, these results establish RS ZnO as a promising material for thermoelectric devices designed to operate at temperatures desirable for many heat recovery applications.« less

Enhancement in Thermoelectric Properties of TiS2 by Sn Addition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramakrishnan, Anbalagan; Raman, Sankar; Chen, Li-Chyong; Chen, Kuei-Hsien

2018-06-01

A series of Sn added TiS2 (TiS2:Sn x ; x = 0, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1) were prepared by solid state synthesis with subsequent annealing. The Sn atoms interacted with sulfur atoms in TiS2 and formed a trace amount of misfit layer (SnS)1+m(TiS2-δ)n compound with sulfur deficiency. A significant reduction in electrical resistivity with moderate decrease in the Seebeck coefficient was observed in Sn added TiS2. Hence, a maximum power factor of 1.71 mW/m-K2 at 373 K was obtained in TiS2:Sn0.05. In addition, the thermal conductivity was decreased with Sn addition and reached a minimum value of 2.11 W/m-K at 623 K in TiS2:Sn0.075, due to the impurity phase (misfit phase) and defects (excess Ti) scattering. The zT values increased from 0.08 in pristine TiS2 to an optimized value of 0.46 K at 623 K in TiS2:Sn0.05.

Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of the (GeTe) 1-x(PbTe) x alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S. P.; Li, J. Q.; Wang, Q. B.; Wang, L.; Liu, F. S.; Ao, W. Q.

2011-02-01

The Ge-rich (GeTe) 1-x(PbTe) x alloys with x = 0.10, 0.14, 0.18 and 0.22 were prepared by induction melting, ball milling and spark plasma sintering techniques. The thermoelectric properties of the samples were investigated. The experimental results show that all samples consist of the solid solutions of the two phases GeTe and PbTe. The samples are of p-type semiconductors. The existence of PbTe solution in GeTe increases its resistivity and Seebeck coefficient slightly, but reduces its thermal conductivity significantly. As result, the figures of merit for the materials can be enhanced. The maximum figure of merit ZT value of 0.81 was obtained in the sample (GeTe) 0.82(PbTe) 0.18 at 673K.

AgI alloying in SnTe boosts the thermoelectric performance via simultaneous valence band convergence and carrier concentration optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Banik, Ananya; Biswas, Kanishka, E-mail: kanishka@jncasr.ac.in

SnTe, a Pb-free analogue of PbTe, was earlier assumed to be a poor thermoelectric material due to excess p-type carrier concentration and large energy separation between light and heavy hole valence bands. Here, we report the enhancement of the thermoelectric performance of p-type SnTe by Ag and I co-doping. AgI (1–6 mol%) alloying in SnTe modulates its electronic structure by increasing the band gap of SnTe, which results in decrease in the energy separation between its light and heavy hole valence bands, thereby giving rise to valence band convergence. Additionally, iodine doping in the Te sublattice of SnTe decreases themore » excess p-type carrier concentration. Due to significant decrease in hole concentration and reduction of the energy separation between light and heavy hole valence bands, significant enhancement in Seebeck coefficient was achieved at the temperature range of 600–900 K for Sn{sub 1−x}Ag{sub x}Te{sub 1−x}I{sub x} samples. A maximum thermoelectric figure of merit, zT, of ~1.05 was achieved at 860 K in high quality crystalline ingot of p-type Sn{sub 0.95}Ag{sub 0.05}Te{sub 0.95}I{sub 0.05}. - Graphical abstract: Significant decrease in hole concentration and reduction of the energy separation between light and heavy hole valence bands resulted in a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit, zT, of ~1.05 at 860 K in high quality crystalline ingot of p-type Sn{sub 0.95}Ag{sub 0.05}Te{sub 0.95}I{sub 0.05}. - Highlights: • AgI alloying in SnTe increases the principle band gap. • Hole concentration reduction and valence band convergence enhances thermopower of SnTe-AgI. • A maximum zT of ~1.05 was achieved at 860 K in p-type Sn{sub 0.95}Ag{sub 0.05}Te{sub 0.95}I{sub 0.05}.« less

Phase I study on the pharmacokinetics and tolerance of ZT-1, a prodrug of huperzine A, for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

PubMed Central

Jia, Jing-ying; Zhao, Qian-hua; Liu, Yun; Gui, Yu-zhou; Liu, Gang-yi; Zhu, Da-yuan; Yu, Chen; Hong, Zhen

2013-01-01

Aim: Huperzine A isolated from the Chinese herb Huperzia serrata (Thunb) Trev is a novel reversible and selective AChE inhibitor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tolerance of single and multiple doses of ZT-1, a novel analogue of huperzine A, in healthy Chinese subjects. Methods: This was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized, single- and multiple-dose study. For the single-dose study, 9 subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups receiving ZT-1 (0.5, 0.75 or 1 mg, po) according to a Three-way Latin Square Design. For the multiple-dose study, 9 subjects receiving ZT-1 (0.75 mg/d, po) for 8 consecutive days. In the tolerance study, 40 subjects were randomly divided into 5 groups receiving a single dose of ZT-1 (0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25 or 1.5 mg, po). Plasma and urine concentrations of ZT-1 and Hup A were determined using LC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic parameters, including Cmax, AUC0–72 h and AUC0–∞ were calculated. Tolerance assessments were conducted throughout the study. Results: ZT-1 was rapidly absorbed and converted into huperzine A, thus the plasma and urine concentrations of ZT-1 were below the limit of quantification (<0.05 ng/mL). After single-dose administration of ZT-1, the mean tmax of huperzine A was 0.76–0.82 h; the AUC0–72 h and Cmax of huperzine A showed approximately dose-proportional increase over the dose range of 0.5–1 mg. After the multiple-dose administration of ZT-1, a steady-state level of huperzine A was achieved within 2 d. No serious adverse events were observed. Conclusion: ZT-1 is a pro-drug that is rapidly absorbed and converted into huperzine A, and ZT-1 is well tolerated in healthy Chinese volunteers. PMID:23624756

Effects of Ge and Sn substitution on the metal-semiconductor transition and thermoelectric properties of Cu12Sb4S13 tetrahedrite.

PubMed

Kosaka, Yasufumi; Suekuni, Koichiro; Hashikuni, Katsuaki; Bouyrie, Yohan; Ohta, Michihiro; Takabatake, Toshiro

2017-03-29

The synthetic tetrahedrites Cu 12-y Tr y Sb 4 S 13 (Tr: Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn) have been extensively studied due to interest in metal-semiconductor transition as well as in superior thermoelectric performance. We have prepared Ge- and Sn-bearing tetrahedrites, Cu 12-x M x Sb 4 S 13 (M = Ge, Sn; x ≤ 0.6), and investigated the effects of the substitutions on the phase transition and the thermoelectric properties. The substitutions of Ge and Sn for Cu suppress the metal-semiconductor transition and increase the electrical resistivity ρ and the positive thermopower S. This finding suggests that the phase transition is prevented by electron doping into the unoccupied states of the valence band. The variations of ρ, S, and magnetic susceptibility for the present systems correspond well with those for the system with Tr = Zn 2+ , confirming the tetravalent states for Ge and Sn. The substitution of M 4+ for Cu 1+ decreases the power factor S 2 /ρ but enhances the dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT, due to reductions in both the charge carrier contribution and lattice contribution to the thermal conductivity. As a result, ZT has a maximum value of ∼0.65 at 665 K for x = 0.3-0.5 in Cu 12-x M x Sb 4 S 13 with M = Ge and Sn.

Engineering of charge carriers via a two-dimensional heterostructure to enhance the thermoelectric figure of merit.

PubMed

Ding, Guangqian; Wang, Cong; Gao, Guoying; Yao, Kailun; Dun, Chaochao; Feng, Chunbao; Li, Dengfeng; Zhang, Gang

2018-04-19

High band degeneracy and glassy phonon transport are two remarkable features of highly efficient thermoelectric (TE) materials. The former promotes the power factor, while the latter aims to break the lower limit of lattice thermal conductivity through phonon scattering. Herein, we use the unique possibility offered by a two-dimensional superlattice-monolayer structure (SLM) to engineer the band degeneracy, charge density and phonon spectrum to maximize the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). First-principles calculations with Boltzmann transport equations reveal that the conduction bands of ZrSe2/HfSe2 SLM possess a highly degenerate level which gives a high n-type power factor; at the same time, the stair-like density of states yields a high Seebeck coefficient. These characteristics are absent in the individual monolayers. In addition, the SLM shows a suppressed lattice thermal conductivity along the superlattice period as phonons are effectively scattered by the interfaces. An intrinsic ZT of 5.3 (300 K) is achieved in n-type SLM, and it is 3.2 in the p-type counterpart. Compared with the theoretical predictions calculated with the same level of accuracy, these values are at least four-fold higher than those in the two parent materials, monolayer ZrSe2 and HfSe2. Our results provide a new strategy for the maximum thermoelectric performance, and clearly demonstrate the advantage of two-dimensional material heterostructures in the application of renewable energy.

Self-Tuning n-Type Bi2(Te,Se)3/SiC Thermoelectric Nanocomposites to Realize High Performances up to 300 °C.

PubMed

Pan, Yu; Aydemir, Umut; Sun, Fu-Hua; Wu, Chao-Feng; Chasapis, Thomas C; Snyder, G Jeffrey; Li, Jing-Feng

2017-11-01

Bi 2 Te 3 thermoelectric materials are utilized for refrigeration for decades, while their application of energy harvesting requires stable thermoelectric and mechanical performances at elevated temperatures. This work reveals that a steady zT of ≈0.85 at 200 to 300 °C can be achieved by doping small amounts of copper iodide (CuI) in Bi 2 Te 2.2 Se 0.8 -silicon carbide (SiC) composites, where SiC nanodispersion enhances the flexural strength. It is found that CuI plays two important roles with atomic Cu/I dopants and CuI precipitates. The Cu/I dopants show a self-tuning behavior due to increasing solubility with increasing temperatures. The increased doping concentration increases electrical conductivity at high temperatures and effectively suppresses the intrinsic excitation. In addition, a large reduction of lattice thermal conductivity is achieved due to the "in situ" CuI nanoprecipitates acting as phonon-scattering centers. Over 60% reduction of bipolar thermal conductivity is achieved, raising the maximum useful temperature of Bi 2 Te 3 for substantially higher efficiency. For module applications, the reported materials are suitable for segmentation with a conventional ingot. This leads to high device ZT values of ≈0.9-1.0 and high efficiency up to 9.2% from 300 to 573 K, which can be of great significance for power generation from waste heat.

High Thermoelectric Power Factor of High-Mobility 2D Electron Gas.

PubMed

Ohta, Hiromichi; Kim, Sung Wng; Kaneki, Shota; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Hashizume, Tamotsu

2018-01-01

Thermoelectric conversion is an energy harvesting technology that directly converts waste heat from various sources into electricity by the Seebeck effect of thermoelectric materials with a large thermopower ( S ), high electrical conductivity (σ), and low thermal conductivity (κ). State-of-the-art nanostructuring techniques that significantly reduce κ have realized high-performance thermoelectric materials with a figure of merit ( ZT = S 2 ∙σ∙ T ∙κ -1 ) between 1.5 and 2. Although the power factor (PF = S 2 ∙σ) must also be enhanced to further improve ZT , the maximum PF remains near 1.5-4 mW m -1 K -2 due to the well-known trade-off relationship between S and σ. At a maximized PF, σ is much lower than the ideal value since impurity doping suppresses the carrier mobility. A metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (MOS-HEMT) structure on an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure is prepared. Applying a gate electric field to the MOS-HEMT simultaneously modulates S and σ of the high-mobility electron gas from -490 µV K -1 and ≈10 -1 S cm -1 to -90 µV K -1 and ≈10 4 S cm -1 , while maintaining a high carrier mobility (≈1500 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ). The maximized PF of the high-mobility electron gas is ≈9 mW m -1 K -2 , which is a two- to sixfold increase compared to state-of-the-art practical thermoelectric materials.

Conjugated-Backbone Effect of Organic Small Molecules for n-Type Thermoelectric Materials with ZT over 0.2.

PubMed

Huang, Dazhen; Yao, Huiying; Cui, Yutao; Zou, Ye; Zhang, Fengjiao; Wang, Chao; Shen, Hongguang; Jin, Wenlong; Zhu, Jia; Diao, Ying; Xu, Wei; Di, Chong-An; Zhu, Daoben

2017-09-20

Conjugated backbones play a fundamental role in determining the electronic properties of organic semiconductors. On the basis of two solution-processable dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-diylidenebis(thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) derivatives with aromatic and quinoid structures, we have carried out a systematic study of the relationship between the conjugated-backbone structure and the thermoelectric properties. In particular, a combination of UV-vis-NIR spectra, photoemission spectroscopy, and doping optimization are utilized to probe the interplay between energy levels, chemical doping, and thermoelectric performance. We found that a moderate change in the conjugated backbone leads to varied doping mechanisms and contributes to dramatic changes in the thermoelectric performance. Notably, the chemically doped A-DCV-DPPTT, a small molecule with aromatic structure, exhibits an electrical conductivity of 5.3 S cm -1 and a high power factor (PF 373 K ) up to 236 μW m -1 K -2 , which is 50 times higher than that of Q-DCM-DPPTT with a quinoid structure. More importantly, the low thermal conductivity enables A-DCV-DPPTT to possess a figure of merit (ZT) of 0.23 ± 0.03, which is the highest value reported to date for thermoelectric materials based on organic small molecules. These results demonstrate that the modulation of the conjugated backbone represents a powerful strategy for tuning the electronic structure and mobility of organic semiconductors toward a maximum thermoelectric performance.

Gut microbiota mediates diurnal variation of acetaminophen induced acute liver injury in mice.

PubMed

Gong, Shenhai; Lan, Tian; Zeng, Liyan; Luo, Haihua; Yang, Xiaoyu; Li, Na; Chen, Xiaojiao; Liu, Zhanguo; Li, Rui; Win, Sanda; Liu, Shuwen; Zhou, Hongwei; Schnabl, Bernd; Jiang, Yong; Kaplowitz, Neil; Chen, Peng

2018-07-01

Acetaminophen (APAP) induced hepatotoxicity is a leading cause of acute liver failure worldwide. It is well established that the liver damage induced by acetaminophen exhibits diurnal variation. However, the detailed mechanism for the hepatotoxic variation is not clear. Herein, we aimed to determine the relative contributions of gut microbiota in modulating the diurnal variation of hepatotoxicity induced by APAP. Male Balb/C mice were treated with or without antibiotics and a single dose of orally administered APAP (300 mg/kg) at ZT0 (when the light is on-start of resting period) and ZT12 (when the light is off-start of active period). In agreement with previous findings, hepatic injury was markedly enhanced at ZT12 compared with ZT0. Interestingly, upon antibiotic treatment, ZT12 displayed a protective effect against APAP hepatotoxicity similar to ZT0. Moreover, mice that received the cecal content from ZT12 showed more severe liver damage than mice that received the cecal content from ZT0. 16S sequencing data revealed significant differences in the cecal content between ZT0 and ZT12 in the compositional level. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis showed that the gut microbial metabolites were also different between ZT0 and ZT12. Specifically, the level of 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione (PPD) was significantly higher at ZT12 than ZT0. Treatment with PPD alone did not cause obvious liver damage. However, PPD synergistically enhanced APAP-induced hepatic injury in vivo and in vitro. Finally, we found Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which could reduce intestinal PPD levels, was able to markedly alleviate APAP-induced liver damage at ZT12. The gut microbial metabolite PPD was responsible, at least in part, for the diurnal variation of hepatotoxicity induced by APAP by decreasing glutathione levels. Acetaminophen (APAP) induced acute liver failure because of over dose is a leading public health problem. APAP-induced liver injury exhibits diurnal variation, specifically APAP causes more severe liver damage when taken at night compared with in the morning. Herein, we showed that gut microbial metabolite, 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione is involved in the rhythmic hepatotoxicity induced by APAP, by depleting hepatic glutathione (an important antioxidant) levels. Our data suggest gut microbiota may be a potential target for reducing APAP-induced acute liver injury. Copyright © 2018 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exact Thermal Transport Properties of Gray-Arsenic using Electon-Phonon Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Seoung-Hun; Kwon, Young-Kyun

Using various theoretical methods, we investigate the thermoelectric property of gray arsenic. Thermoelectric devices that utilize the Seebeck effect convert heat flow into electrical energy. The conversion efficiency of such a device is determined by its figure of merit or ZT value, which is related to various transport coefficients, such as Seebeck coefficient and the ratio of its electrical conductivity to its thermal counterpart for given temperature. To calculate various transport coefficients and thus the ZT values of gray arsenic, we apply the Boltzmann transport theory to its electronic and phononic structures obtained by density functional theory and density functional perturbation theory together with maximally locallized Wannier functions. During this procedure, we evaluate its relaxation time accurately by explicitly considering electron-phonon coupling. Our result reveals that gray arsenic may be used for a good p-type thermoelectric devices.

High Thermoelectric Performance in Copper Telluride

DOE PAGES

He, Ying; Zhang, Tiansong; Shi, Xun; ...

2015-06-21

Recently, Cu 2-δ S and Cu 2-δ Se were reported to have an ultralow thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric figure of merit zT. Thus, as a member of the copper chalcogenide group, Cu 2-δ Te is expected to possess superior zTs because Te is less ionic and heavy. However, the zT value is low in the Cu 2Te sintered using spark plasma sintering, which is typically used to fabricate high-density bulk samples. In addition, the extra sintering processes may change the samples’ compositions as well as their physical properties, especially for Cu 2Te, which has many stable andmore » meta-stable phases as well as weaker ionic bonding between Cu and Te as compared with Cu 2S and Cu 2Se. In this study, high-density Cu 2Te samples were obtained using direct annealing without a sintering process. In the absence of sintering processes, the samples’ compositions could be well controlled, leading to substantially reduced carrier concentrations that are close to the optimal value. The electrical transports were optimized, and the thermal conductivity was considerably reduced. The zT values were significantly improved—to 1.1 at 1000 K—which is nearly 100% improvement. Furthermore, this method saves substantial time and cost during the sample’s growth. The study demonstrates that Cu 2-δ X (X=S, Se and Te) is the only existing system to show high zTs in the series of compounds composed of three sequential primary group elements.« less

Monoclinic phase transformation and mechanical durability of zirconia ceramic after fatigue and autoclave aging.

PubMed

Mota, Yasmine A; Cotes, Caroline; Carvalho, Rodrigo F; Machado, João P B; Leite, Fabíola P P; Souza, Rodrigo O A; Özcan, Mutlu

2017-10-01

This study evaluated the influence of two aging procedures on the biaxial flexural strength of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia ceramics. Disc-shaped zirconia specimens and (ZE: E.max ZirCAD, Ivoclar; ZT: Zirkon Translucent, Zirkonzahn) (N = 80) (∅:12 mm; thickness:1.2 mm, ISO 6872) were prepared and randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 per group) according to the aging procedures: C: Control, no aging; M: mechanical cycling (2 × 10 6 cycles/3.8 Hz/200 N); AUT: Aging in autoclave at 134°C, 2 bar for 24 h; AUT + M: Autoclave aging followed by mechanical cycling. After aging, the transformed monoclinic zirconia (%) were evaluated using X-ray diffraction and surface roughness was measured using atomic force microscopy. The average grain size was measured by scanning electron microscopy and the specimens were submitted to biaxial flexural strength testing (1 mm/min, 1000 kgf in water). Data (MPa) were statistically analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). Aging procedures significantly affected (p = 0.000) the flexural strength data but the effect of zirconia type was not significant (p = 0.657). AUT ZT (936.4 ± 120.9 b ) and AUT + M ZE (867.2 ± 49.3 b ) groups presented significantly higher values (p < 0.05) of flexural strength than those of the control groups (C ZT : 716.5 ± 185.7 a ; C ZE : 779.9 ± 114 a ) (Tukey's test). The monoclinic phase percentage (%) was higher for AUT ZE (71), AUT ZT (66), AUT + M ZE (71), and AUT + M ZM (66) compared to the C groups (ZE:0; ZT:0). Surface roughness (µm) was higher for AUT ZE (0.09), AUT ZT (0.08), AUT + M ZE (0.09 µm), and AUT + M ZT (0.09 µm) than those of other groups. Regardless of the zirconia type, autoclave aging alone or with mechanical aging increased the flexure strength but also induced higher transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic phase in both zirconia materials tested. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1972-1977, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Valence Band Structure of Highly Efficient p-type Thermoelectric PbTe-PbS Alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaworski, C. M.; Nielsen, Mechele; Wang, Hsin

New experimental evidence is given relevant to the temperature-dependence of valence band structure of PbTe and PbTe1-xSx alloys (0.04 x 0.12), and its effect on the thermoelectric figure of merit zT. The x = 0.08 sample has zT ~ 1.55 at 773K. The magnetic field dependence of the high-temperature Hall resistivity of heavily p-type (> 1019 cm-3) Na-doped PbTe1-xSx reveals the presence of high-mobility electrons. This put in question prior analyses of the Hall coefficient and the conclusion that PbTe would be an indirect gap semiconductor at temperatures where its zT is optimal. Possible origins for these electrons are discussed:more » they can be induced by photoconductivity, or by the topology of the Fermi surface when the L and -bands merge. Negative values for the low-temperature thermopower are also observed. Our data show that PbTe continues to be a direct gap semiconductor at temperatures where the zT and S2 of p-type PbTe are optimal e.g. 700-900K. The previously suggested temperature induced rapid rise in energy of the heavy hole LVB relative to the light hole UVB is not supported by the experimental data.« less

Thermoelectric Properties of Sr-Filled Ge-Based Type I Single-Crystal Clathrate Grown by Sn-Flux Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Shuping; Liu, Hongxia; Li, Decong; Wang, Jinsong; Cheng, Feng; Shen, Lanxian; Deng, Shukang

2017-05-01

Single-crystal samples of Sr-filled Ge-based type I clathrate have been prepared by the Sn-flux method, and their thermoelectric properties investigated. The obtained samples exhibited n-type conduction with carrier concentration varying from 2.8 × 1019/cm3 to 6.8 × 1019/cm3 as the carrier mobility changed from 23.9 cm2/V-s to 15.1 cm2/V-s at room temperature. Structural analysis indicated that all samples were type I clathrate in space group pm\\bar{it{3}}n . The total content of group IV (Ge + Sn) atoms in the crystalline structure increased with increasing x value (where x defines the atomic ratio of starting elements, Sr:Ga:Ge:Sn = 8:16: x:20), reaching a maximum value of 31.76 at.% for the sample with x = 30; consequently, the lattice parameters increased. The melting points for all samples were approximately 1012 K, being considerably lower than that of single-crystal Sr8Ga16Ge30 prepared by other methods. The electrical conductivity increased while the absolute value of α increased gradually with increasing temperature; the maximum value of α reached 193 μV/K at 750 K for the sample with x = 24. The sample with x = 30 exhibited lower lattice thermal conductivity of 0.80 W/m-K. As a result, among all the Sn-flux samples, single-crystal Sr7.92Ga15.04Sn0.35Ge30.69 had the largest ZT value of 1.0 at about 750 K.

Structure and thermoelectric property of Te doped paracostibite CoSb1-xTexS compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Yonghui; Su, Xianli; Liu, Wei; Yan, Yonggao; Fu, Jiefei; Cheng, Xin; Zhang, Cheng; Tang, Xinfeng

2018-06-01

Paracostibite (CoSbS), a newly developed thermoelectric material, has aroused lots of interest due to its highly earth abundant and inexpensive constituent elements and potential application for thermoelectric power generation in the intermediate temperature range. Herein, a series of CoSb1-xTexS (x = 0-0.09) compounds were prepared by vacuum melting and annealing followed by SPS processing, and the effects of Te doping on the structure and thermoelectric properties were systematically investigated. Doping Te on the Sb site increases the carrier concentration up to 7.24 × 1020 cm-3 for CoSb0.93Te0.07S compound which is several orders of magnitude higher than that of un-doped CoSbS, and enhances the power factor. The maximum power factor of 14.07 μW cm-1 K-2 is attained at 900 K. Concomitantly, doping with Te on the Sb site leads to effective scattering of heat carrying phonon, accompanying with a strong suppression of the thermal conductivity with the increase of Te content, resulting in an increase of the ZT. A maximum ZT of 0.43 at 900 K is attained for CoSb0.93Te0.07S compound, which is 139% higher than that of un-doped CoSbS compound.

Differential Regulation of Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis by Melatonin Receptor Subtype-Signaling in the Adult Murine Brain.

PubMed

Fredrich, Michaela; Christ, Elmar; Korf, Horst-Werner

2018-06-27

Background/Aims: Zeitgeber time (ZT)-dependent changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis are regulated by melatonin receptor (MT)-mediated signaling in the adult hippocampus and hypothalamic-hypophyseal system. There are two G-protein-coupled MT-subtypes, MT1 and MT2. Therefore, the present study examined which MT-subtype is required for regulation of ZT-dependent changes in cell proliferation and/or apoptosis in the adult murine brain and pituitary. Adult melatonin-proficient (C3H) mice with targeted deletion of MT1 (MT1 KO) or MT2 (MT2 KO) were adapted to a 12-hour light, 12-hour dark photoperiod and sacrificed at ZT00, ZT06, ZT12, and ZT18. Immunohistochemistry for Ki67 or activated caspase-3 served to quantify proliferating and apoptotic cells in the hippocampal subgranular zone (SGZ) and granule cell layer, the hypothalamic median eminence (ME), and the hypophyseal pars tuberalis. ZT-dependent changes in cell proliferation were found exclusively in the SGZ and ME of MT1 KO mice, while apoptosis showed no ZT-dependent changes in the regions analyzed, neither in MT1 nor in MT2 KO mice. Comparison with our previous studies in C3H mice with functional MTs and MT1/2 KO mice revealed that MT2-mediated signaling is required and sufficient for ZT-dependent changes in cell proliferation in the SGZ and ME, while ZT-dependent changes in apoptosis require signaling from both MT-subtypes. Our results indicate that generation and timing of ZT-dependent changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis by melatonin require different MT-subtype-constellations and emphasize the importance to shed light on the specific function of each receptor-subtype in different tissues and physiological conditions.
. ©2018S. Karger AG, Basel.

Thermoelectric properties of heavily GaP- and P-doped Si0.95Ge0.05

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Osamu

2001-06-01

The Seebeck coefficient S, the electrical resistivity ρ and the thermal conductivity κ of Si0.95Ge0.05 samples doped with 0.4 at. % P and/or 0.5-2.0 mol % GaP, which were prepared by a conventional arc melting method, were measured as functions of GaP content and temperature T in the range from 323 to 1208 K. When multidoped with P and GaP, Ga tends to segregate more strongly with Ge to the grain boundaries than P, while when doped with GaP alone, both P and Ga segregate equally strongly with Ge. For multidoped samples, the S values at 323 K have a minimum at 1.0 mol % GaP and then increase with additional GaP, while the values of ρ and κ decrease monotonically with increasing GaP content. The optimum additional content of GaP that gives the largest thermoelectric figures of merit (ZT=S2T/κρ) for multidoped n-type Si0.95Ge0.05 samples was 1.5 mol %, which is slightly less than the 2.0 mol % of GaP added to Si0.8Ge0.2 alloy by hot pressing. The ZT value for multidoped Si0.95Ge0.05 with an optimum content of GaP increases linearly with temperature, and at 1073 K is 18% higher than that obtained previously for Si0.95Ge0.05 doped with only 0.4 at. % P. At 1173 K the ZT value is 1.16, which corresponds to 95% of that obtained previously at the corresponding temperature for Si0.8Ge0.2 alloy doped with 2.0 mol % GaP.

Effects of K-Doping on Thermoelectric Properties of Bi1- x K x CuOTe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Tae-Ho; Lim, Young Soo; Seo, Won-Seon; Park, Cheol-Hee; Yoo, Mi Duk; Park, Chan; Lee, Chang Hoon; Shim, Ji Hoon

2017-05-01

The effects of K-doping on the thermoelectric properties of Bi1- x K x CuOTe ( x = 0 to 0.08) have been investigated. The compounds were synthesized by a one-step solid-state reaction method and consolidated by a spark plasma sintering process. As the amount of K-doping was increased, the electrical and thermal conductivities increased while the Seebeck coefficient decreased due to increasing hole concentration. A ZT value of 0.69 was obtained for the compound K0.01Bi0.99CuOTe at 700 K, to the best of our knowledge the highest value reported for this material system. The origin of this enhanced ZT is discussed in terms of the density of states effective mass estimated by a single parabolic band model and electronic structures calculated based on density functional theory.

Sleep loss reduces the DNA-binding of BMAL1, CLOCK, and NPAS2 to specific clock genes in the mouse cerebral cortex.

PubMed

Mongrain, Valérie; La Spada, Francesco; Curie, Thomas; Franken, Paul

2011-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that clock genes contribute to the homeostatic aspect of sleep regulation. Indeed, mutations in some clock genes modify the markers of sleep homeostasis and an increase in homeostatic sleep drive alters clock gene expression in the forebrain. Here, we investigate a possible mechanism by which sleep deprivation (SD) could alter clock gene expression by quantifying DNA-binding of the core-clock transcription factors CLOCK, NPAS2, and BMAL1 to the cis-regulatory sequences of target clock genes in mice. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), we first showed that, as reported for the liver, DNA-binding of CLOCK and BMAL1 to target clock genes changes in function of time-of-day in the cerebral cortex. Tissue extracts were collected at ZT0 (light onset), -6, -12, and -18, and DNA enrichment of E-box or E'-box containing sequences was measured by qPCR. CLOCK and BMAL1 binding to Cry1, Dbp, Per1, and Per2 depended on time-of-day, with maximum values reached at around ZT6. We then observed that SD, performed between ZT0 and -6, significantly decreased DNA-binding of CLOCK and BMAL1 to Dbp, consistent with the observed decrease in Dbp mRNA levels after SD. The DNA-binding of NPAS2 and BMAL1 to Per2 was also decreased by SD, although SD is known to increase Per2 expression in the cortex. DNA-binding to Per1 and Cry1 was not affected by SD. Our results show that the sleep-wake history can affect the clock molecular machinery directly at the level of chromatin binding thereby altering the cortical expression of Dbp and Per2 and likely other targets. Although the precise dynamics of the relationship between DNA-binding and mRNA expression, especially for Per2, remains elusive, the results also suggest that part of the reported circadian changes in DNA-binding of core clock components in tissues peripheral to the suprachiasmatic nuclei could, in fact, be sleep-wake driven.

Sleep Loss Reduces the DNA-Binding of BMAL1, CLOCK, and NPAS2 to Specific Clock Genes in the Mouse Cerebral Cortex

PubMed Central

Curie, Thomas; Franken, Paul

2011-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that clock genes contribute to the homeostatic aspect of sleep regulation. Indeed, mutations in some clock genes modify the markers of sleep homeostasis and an increase in homeostatic sleep drive alters clock gene expression in the forebrain. Here, we investigate a possible mechanism by which sleep deprivation (SD) could alter clock gene expression by quantifying DNA-binding of the core-clock transcription factors CLOCK, NPAS2, and BMAL1 to the cis-regulatory sequences of target clock genes in mice. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), we first showed that, as reported for the liver, DNA-binding of CLOCK and BMAL1 to target clock genes changes in function of time-of-day in the cerebral cortex. Tissue extracts were collected at ZT0 (light onset), −6, −12, and −18, and DNA enrichment of E-box or E'-box containing sequences was measured by qPCR. CLOCK and BMAL1 binding to Cry1, Dbp, Per1, and Per2 depended on time-of-day, with maximum values reached at around ZT6. We then observed that SD, performed between ZT0 and −6, significantly decreased DNA-binding of CLOCK and BMAL1 to Dbp, consistent with the observed decrease in Dbp mRNA levels after SD. The DNA-binding of NPAS2 and BMAL1 to Per2 was also decreased by SD, although SD is known to increase Per2 expression in the cortex. DNA-binding to Per1 and Cry1 was not affected by SD. Our results show that the sleep-wake history can affect the clock molecular machinery directly at the level of chromatin binding thereby altering the cortical expression of Dbp and Per2 and likely other targets. Although the precise dynamics of the relationship between DNA-binding and mRNA expression, especially for Per2, remains elusive, the results also suggest that part of the reported circadian changes in DNA-binding of core clock components in tissues peripheral to the suprachiasmatic nuclei could, in fact, be sleep-wake driven. PMID:22039518

Enhanced thermoelectric properties of Hg-doped Cu2Se

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Erying; Wang, Siqi; Zhu, Zheng; Cao, Ruijuan; Hu, Xing; Song, Hongzhang

2018-03-01

The Cu2-xHgxSe (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15) nanopowders were fabricated using the hydrothermal synthesis, and then hot-pressed into bulk alloys. The effects of Hg doping on the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Cu2Se were investigated. The electrical resistivities of all the doped samples are lower than that of the nondoped sample due to the induced cation vacancies. For the x = 0.10 and x = 0.15 samples, Seebeck coefficients increase slightly compared with the nondoped sample at higher temperature. Except for the sample of x = 0.05, the thermal conductivities of x = 0.10 and x = 0.15 samples are substantially lower than that of the x = 0.00 sample. As an overall result, the maximum value of ZT, which is the dimensionless TE figure of merit, reaches 1.50 at 600∘C for the x = 0.10 sample.

Influence of simulated microgravity on clock genes expression rhythmicity and underlying blood circulating miRNAs-mRNA co-expression regulatory mechanism in C57BL/6J mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Ke; Qu, Lina

Purpose: It is vital for astronauts to maintain the optimal alertness and neurobehavioral function. Among various factors that exist in the space flight and long-duration mission environment, gravity changes may probably an essential environmental factor to interfere with internal circadian rhythms homeostasis and sleep quality, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Mammals' biological clock is controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and peripheral organs adjust their own rhythmicity with the central signals. Nevertheless the mechanism underlying this synchronizition process is still unknown. microRNAs (miRNAs) are about 19˜22nt long regulatory RNAs that serve as critical modulators of post-transcriptional gene regulation. Recently, circulating miRNAs were found to have the regulatory role between cells and peripheral tissues, besides its function inside the cells. This study aims to investigate the regulatory signal transduction role of miRNAs between SCN and peripheral biological clock effecter tissues and to further decipher the mechanism of circadian disturbance under microgravity. Method: Firstly, based on the assumption that severe alterations in the expression of genes known to be involved in circadian rhythms may affect the expression of other genes, the labeled cDNA from liver and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of clock-knockout mice and control mice in different time points were cohybridized to microarrays. The fold change exceeding 2 (FC>2) was used to identify genes with altered expression levels in the knockout mice compared with control mice. Secondly, male C57BL/6J mice at 8 weeks of age were individually caged and acclimatized to the laboratory conditions (12h light/dark cycle) before being used for continuous core body temperature and activity monitoring. The mice were individually caged and tail suspended using a strip of adhesive surgical tape attached to a chain hanging from a pulley. Peripheral blood and liver tissues collection were consecutively performed. Blood samples and liver tissues were collected from tail-suspended and control mice under LD 12:12h and DD conditions during the 12th, 13th and 14th testing days at 4h intervals. Melatonin and corticosterone in mice plasma at different time points were assayed. NIH-3T3 cells were plated in culture dish for 22h before the experiment. For ground-based simulation of weightlessness, the medium was exchanged with DMEM containing 50% horse serum to synchronization, after 2 h, this medium was replaced with DMEM and 10% FBS. Then, at various time point (0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48h), cells were cultured on the roating clinostat at 30r/min. Total RNA was extracted from liver and NIH-3T3 cells and subsequently reverse-transcribed. The SYBR green I real-time quantitative PCR system was conducted to examine the mRNA expression level of clock, bmal1, per1, per2, cry1 and cry2 in mice and NIH-3T3 cells, respectively. Paired comparisons of the circadian genes expression between period, peak values, amplitude and mesor (midline estimating statistic of rhythm) were examined for evidence of circadian variation using Chronos-Fit software in mice and Cosine analyses in NIH-3T3 cells. Statistical analysis: All numerical data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical differences among groups were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine time points differences in the study parameters. Statistical differences between two groups were determined by the Student's t test. Results: (1) Circadian rhythm of clock and bmal1 mRNA expression was found in each testing day with similar peak phase in both tail suspension group and control group. Compared with control group, tail suspension group showed that the peak phase of clock gene mRNA level advanced approximately 4 hours and the amplitude of bmal1 gene mRNA level significantly reduced at ZT2 and ZT6. (2) The expression of circadian genes in NIH-3T3 cells demonstrated that the maximum and minimum value of mRNA relative expression levels of clock and bmal1 during clinorotation were both found approximately at the time points 6h and 18h, respectively. The period length of experimental group was about 16h longer than control group. The peak phase and peak time of clock and bmal1 with simulated weightlessness group were ahead of control group. (3) At the Zeitgeber time 2 (ZT2), we found that 23 miRNAs in the SCN and 60 miRNAs in liver were significantly altered on the basis of an adjusted FC>2 among 611 miRNAs. At the ZT14, 23 miRNAs in the SCN and 57 miRNAs in liver were altered compared with the control group (FC>2). (a) Effects of clock knock out altered expression of miRNA. We analyzed the miRNA profile in SCN and liver of clock knonck out and WT mouse at two different time points using miRNA microarray. Of these, miR-122,miR-144, miR-210 and miR-669b at ZT2, miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-429, miR-455, miR-669d and miR-96 at ZT14 were both changed in SCN and liver, respectively. Interestingly, the miR-122, a tissue specific miRNA of liver was also changed in SCN at ZT2. (b) Effects of light altered expression of miRNA: Light is an important environmental factors to regulate circadian genes expression. In clock mutant mice, all altered miRNAs except miR-144 were down-regulated in SCN while up-regulated in liver at ZT14 compared to ZT2. Interestingly, the miRNAs expression profiling in SCN and liver were opposite of WT mice at ZT14 compared to ZT2. (c) Effects of clock mutant on mRNA expression: To test whether the alteration in expression of miRNAs correlates with the gene expression pattern, cDNA microarray of SCN were assayed. The results revealed that the expression of nearly 1285 genes was altered substantially with at least 1 fold change absolute in the absence of clock. Among these altered genes, we chose the mRNAs with at least 4 fold changes to further study. Only 23 genes were altered in clock knockout compared with WT at ZT2, but 67 genes at ZT14. (d) Effects of light on mRNA expression. To evaluate the light effecting on genes expression in SCN, the cDNA microarrays in SCN at ZT2 and ZT14 were tested. 21 genes were over expression and 12 genes were down regulation ZT14 compared with ZT2 in WT. The number of altered genes in clock-/- mice was 67. (e) Direct interaction between altered miRNAs and mRNAs. To identify the interaction between regulatory miRNAs and altered mRNAs in the absence of clock, we predicted the target genes of miRNAs by TargetScan. The genes both the target genes of miRNAs and altered in cDNA microarray were unravelled. The exploration of functional interaction between miRNAs and clock genes mRNA is ongoing. Conclusion: Taken together, these results indicate that ground-based simulated weightlessness could alter the molecular biological rhythm patterns, which may preliminarily present the biological regulatory mechanism of circadian rhythm systems under spaceflight-related gravity. The potential underlying functional miRNAs could serve as targets to interfere with for interaction between central and peripheral circadian organs under simulated microgravity. This preliminary study may facilitate the exploration of circadian rhythm characteristics in space and the detailed process of signal transduction and circadian gene regulation. Key words: circadian rhythms, tail-suspension, simulated microgravity, clock genes, miRNAs Acknowledgments: This study was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant NO. 2011CB707704) and the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center (Grant NO. SMFA13B02, SMFA09A06 and SMFA12B05).

Decouple electronic and phononic transport in nanotwinned structures: a new strategy for enhancing the figure-of-merit of thermoelectrics.

PubMed

Zhou, Yanguang; Gong, Xiaojing; Xu, Ben; Hu, Ming

2017-07-20

Thermoelectric (TE) materials manifest themselves to enable direct conversion of temperature differences to electric power and vice versa. Though remarkable advances have been achieved in the past decades for various TE systems, the energy conversion efficiency of TE devices, which is characterized by a dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT = S 2 σT/(κ el + κ ph )), generally remains a poor factor that severely limits TE devices' competitiveness and range of employment. The bottleneck for substantially boosting the ZT coefficient lies in the strong interdependence of the physical parameters involved in electronic (S and σ, and κ el ) and phononic (κ ph ) transport. Herein, we propose a new strategy of incorporating nanotwinned structures to decouple electronic and phononic transport. Combining the new concept of nanotwinned structures with the previously widely used nanocrystalline approach, the power factor of the nanotwin-nanocrystalline Si heterostructures is enhanced by 120% compared to that of bulk crystalline Si, while the lattice thermal conductivity is reduced to a level well below the amorphous limit, yielding a theoretical limit of 0.52 and 0.9 for ZT coefficient at room temperature and 1100 K, respectively. This value is almost two orders of magnitude larger than that for bulk Si and twice that for polycrystalline Si. Even for the experimentally obtained nanotwin-nanocrystalline heterostructures (e.g. grain size of 5 nm), the ZT coefficient can be as high as 0.26 at room temperature and 0.7 at 1100 K, which is the highest ZT value among all Si-based bulk nanostructures found thus far. Such substantial improvement stems from two aspects: (1) the improvement in the power factor is caused due to an increase in the Seebeck coefficient (degeneracy of the band valley) and the enhancement of electrical conductivity (the reduction of the effective band mass) and (2) the significant reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity is mainly caused due to the extremely strong phonon-grain boundary and phonon-twin boundary scattering. Our results suggest that nanotwinned structures are excellent building blocks for enhancing TE performance in diamond-like semiconductors, and our study provides a new strategy for the innovative development of other TE materials.

First-principles and molecular dynamics study of thermoelectric transport properties of N-type silicon-based superlattice-nanocrystalline heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yanguang; Gong, Xiaojing; Xu, Ben; Hu, Ming

2017-08-01

Electrical and thermal transport in silicon germanium superlattice nanostructures has received extensive attention from scientists for understanding carrier properties at the nanoscale, and the figure-of-merit (ZT) reported in such structures has inspired engineers to develop cost-effective waste heat recovery systems. In this paper, the thermoelectric transport properties of the silicon-based superlattice- and anti-superlattice-nanocrystalline heterostructures are systematically studied by first-principles and molecular dynamics simulations combined with the Boltzmann transport theory. The thermal conductivity, which is thought to be the essential bottleneck for bulk crystalline Si to gain a high ZT value, of such structures is found to be reduced by two orders of magnitude and reaches a level far below the amorphous limit of Si. This is achieved due to the extremely strong phonon-boundary scattering at both grain boundaries and Si-Ge interfaces, which will lead to the phonon mean free path being much smaller than the grain size (Casmir limit): for instance, the dominant phonons are in range of 0.5 to 3 nm for the heterostructures with a grain size of around 8 nm. Meanwhile, the power factor can be preserved at the level comparable to bulk crystalline because of the quantum confinement effect, which resulted from the conduction band minima converge, reduction of band gap, and the short mean free path of carriers. As a result, the ZT of such superlattice based nanomembranes can reach around 0.3 at room temperature, which is two orders of magnitude higher than the bulk crystalline case. The corresponding bulk superlattice-nanocrystalline heterostructures possess a ZT value of 0.5 at room temperature, which is superior to all other bulk silicon-based thermoelectrics. Our results here show that nanostructuring the superlattice structure can further decrease the thermal conductivity while keeping the electrical transport properties at the bulk comparable level, and provides a new strategy for enhancing the thermoelectric performance of the silicon-based nanostructures.

High Thermoelectric Power Factor of High‐Mobility 2D Electron Gas

PubMed Central

Kim, Sung Wng; Kaneki, Shota; Yamamoto, Atsushi

2017-01-01

Abstract Thermoelectric conversion is an energy harvesting technology that directly converts waste heat from various sources into electricity by the Seebeck effect of thermoelectric materials with a large thermopower (S), high electrical conductivity (σ), and low thermal conductivity (κ). State‐of‐the‐art nanostructuring techniques that significantly reduce κ have realized high‐performance thermoelectric materials with a figure of merit (ZT = S 2∙σ∙T∙κ−1) between 1.5 and 2. Although the power factor (PF = S 2∙σ) must also be enhanced to further improve ZT, the maximum PF remains near 1.5–4 mW m−1 K−2 due to the well‐known trade‐off relationship between S and σ. At a maximized PF, σ is much lower than the ideal value since impurity doping suppresses the carrier mobility. A metal‐oxide‐semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (MOS‐HEMT) structure on an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure is prepared. Applying a gate electric field to the MOS‐HEMT simultaneously modulates S and σ of the high‐mobility electron gas from −490 µV K−1 and ≈10−1 S cm−1 to −90 µV K−1 and ≈104 S cm−1, while maintaining a high carrier mobility (≈1500 cm2 V−1 s−1). The maximized PF of the high‐mobility electron gas is ≈9 mW m−1 K−2, which is a two‐ to sixfold increase compared to state‐of‐the‐art practical thermoelectric materials. PMID:29375980

Magnetic and thermoelectric properties of the ternary pseudo-hollandite BaxCr5Se8 (0.5 < x < 0.55) solid solution.

PubMed

Lefèvre, Robin; Berthebaud, David; Bux, Sabah; Hébert, Sylvie; Gascoin, Franck

2016-07-26

The structure of Ba0.5Cr5Se8 has been recently resolved, and its thermoelectric and magnetic properties have been studied. A ZT of 0.12 was found at around 800 K. Here, we report a study on the pseudo-hollandite BaxCr5Se8 solid-solution with 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 0.55 and its thermoelectric and magnetic properties. There is no significant impact either on the cell parameters depending on the cation content or on the magnetic properties. However, thermoelectric properties are radically changed depending on x content. While the low thermal conductivity, around 0.8 W m(-1) K(-1), remains similar for all samples, a respective increase and decrease of the resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient are observed with increasing Ba content. The maximum Seebeck coefficient is found with Ba0.5Cr5Se8 at around 635 K with 315 μV K(-1), and the Seebeck coefficient then decreases and is correlated with an activation of minority charge carriers confirmed by Hall measurements. A similar but steeper behavior is observed for the Ba0.55Cr5Se8 temperature dependence plot at around 573 K. Finally, the best thermoelectric performances are found using the lowest content of Ba, unlike when x tends to 0.55, ZT approaches a tenth of the initial best value. BaxCr5Se8 compounds are antiferromagnetic with TN = 58 K. A large peak in thermal conductivity is observed around the antiferromagnetic transition for all stoichiometry.

Synthesis of the graphene-ZnTiO3 nanocomposite for solar light assisted photodegradation of methylene blue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gayathri, Shunmugiah; Jayabal, Palanisamy; Kottaisamy, Muniasamy; Ramakrishnan, Veerabahu

2015-10-01

Cubic and hexagonal phase zinc titanate (ZT) nanoparticles were synthesized via simple chemical precipitation method. The graphene-zinc titanate (GZT) nanocomposites were prepared by using the synthesized ZT nanoparticles and graphene oxide as precursors. The synthesized materials were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. The agglomerated ZT nanoparticles anchored on graphene sheets are clearly visible in the field emission scanning electron micrograph (FE-SEM) image. Raman mapping of the GZT nanocomposites revealed the homogeneity and distribution of ZT nanoparticles on the surface of graphene. The UV-visible absorption and photoluminescence spectra of the samples suggest that the GZT nanocomposites can be used as efficient photocatalysts to remove organic dye from water. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized photocatalysts was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue dye under sunlight irradiation. The enhanced absorption in the visible region of the GZT samples compared to the ZT samples played a vital role during the photocatalysis. The hexagonal phase GZT nanocomposite displayed remarkable photocatalytic activity compared to the bare ZT nanoparticles. The possible electron transfer mechanism for graphene-ZT interface during the photocatalysis process is also proposed. Furthermore, the reusability and stability tests for the prepared photocatalysts were made and reported.

Thermoelectric properties of the ceramic oxide Sr1- x La x TiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmud, Iqbal; Yoon, Man-Soon; Kim, Il-Ho; Choi, Moon-Kwan; Ur, Soon-Chul

2016-01-01

The effect of lanthanum on the electric and the thermoelectric properties of the ceramic oxide Sr1- x La x TiO3 (where x = 0.0, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.12 mole) have been studied. La-doped SrTiO3 was prepared by using the conventional mixed-oxide reaction method. XRD patterns indicated that almost all the La atoms incorporated into the SrTiO3 crystal provided charge carriers. The lattice parameter increases with increasing La doping content. The relative densities of all the samples varied from 89.6% to 94.8%. The electrical conductivity increased with La doping up to 0.08 moles and then decreased as the content of La was increased above 0.08 moles. The thermal conductivity decreased with increasing La content. The largest absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient, 394 μVK-1 at 973 K, was observed at x = 0.04. The Sr0.92La0.08TiO3 sample showed its maximum electrical conductivity at 773 K and its largest ZT value of 0.20 at 973 K.

Microstructural analysis and thermoelectric properties of Sn-Al co-doped ZnO ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoemke, Joshua, E-mail: jhoemke@sigma.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Tochigi, Eita; Shibata, Naoya

2016-08-26

Sn-Al co-doped polycrystalline ZnO ceramics were prepared by sintering in air. Phase and microstructure analysis was performed by X-ray diffraction and SEM-EDS and thermoelectric properties were measured. XRD analysis showed a ZnO primary phase as well as secondary phase peaks due to the formation of a Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} spinel phase or SnO{sub 2}(ZnO:Sn-Al){sub m} intergrowth phase. SEM analysis revealed a dense microstructure with a small number of nanometric pores, consistent with the measured density of 5.48 g/cm{sup 3}. An activated electrical conductivity characteristic of a semiconducting material was observed as well as a negative Seebeck coefficient with both valuesmore » increasing in absolute value from RT to 730 °C. The power factor had a maximum value of 3.73×10{sup −4} W m{sup −1} K{sup −2} at 730 °C. Thermal conductivity measurements showed a significant reduction over the measured temperature range compared to undoped ZnO. This could be attributed to grain size reduction, the formation of a nanoscale secondary phase or a reduction in crystallinity caused by Sn-Al co-doping. A maximum ZT of 0.06 was obtained at 750 °C for the Sn-Al co-doped ZnO ceramics.« less

Enhancement of Thermoelectric Properties in SnTe with (Ag, In) Co-Doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J. Q.; Yang, N.; Li, S. M.; Li, Y.; Liu, F. S.; Ao, W. Q.

2018-01-01

A lead-free SnTe compound shows good electrical property but high thermal conductivity, resulting in a low figure-of-merit ZT. We present a significant enhancement of the thermoelectric properties of p-type SnTe with (Ag, In) co-doping. The Ag and In co-doped Sn1-2 x Ag x In x Te ( x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05) are prepared by melting, quenching and spark plasma sintering. A homogeneous NaCl-type SnTe-based solid solution forms in the alloys at low Ag and In content ( x ≤ 0.02), while a AgInTe2 minor secondary phase precipitates for higher x. Similar to In doping, the introduction of Ag and In at Sn sites in SnTe considerably increases the Seebeck coefficient and power factor by creating resonant levels near the Fermi energy. In addition, the Ag and In solute atoms in the SnTe-based solid solution and the minor secondary phase AgInTe2 enhance phonon scattering and thus significantly reduce the carrier and lattice thermal conductivity. Ag and In co-doping shows a collective advantage on the overall thermoelectric performance of SnTe or In-doped SnTe. A maximum ZT of 1.23 at 873 K and average ZT of 0.58 can be obtained in the alloy Sn1-2 x Ag x In x Te with x = 0.03.

Enhancing Thermoelectric Performance of PbSe by Se Vacancies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yefeng; You, Li; Wang, Chenyang; Zhang, Jiye; Yang, Jiong; Guo, Kai; Luo, Jun; Zhang, Wenqing

2018-02-01

Self-doped n-type PbSe1-δ thermoelectric compounds have been successfully synthesized by the melting and annealing method. The Se vacancies are created by intentionally produced deficiency of Se elements during the sample preparation. Such intrinsic doping can raise the electron concentration to a value as high as 1.2 × 1019 cm-3, leading to greatly improved electrical conductivity and power factor in the n-type PbSe1-δ . Furthermore, the presence of Se vacancies effectively enhances the phonon scattering, resulting in reduced lattice thermal conductivity. Thus, the thermoelectric performance of n-type PbSe1-δ is significantly improved by the formation of intrinsic Se vacancies. The achieved ZT value for the Se-vacancy-rich sample varies from ˜ 0.4 at 330 K to ˜ 1.0 at 675 K, which is comparable to those of the reported n-type PbSe materials with extrinsic doping. In addition, the average ZT of our n-type PbSe system reaches 0.77, which approaches the value of p-type PbTe.

Giant Pressure-Induced Enhancement of Seebeck Coefficient and Thermoelectric Efficiency in SnTe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, Jason; Kumar, Ravhi; Park, Changyong

The thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline SnTe have been measured up to 4.5 GPa at 330 K. SnTe shows an enormous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient, greater than 200 % after 3 GPa, which correlates to a known pressure-induced structural phase transition that is observed through simultaneous in situ X-ray diffraction measurement. We also measured electrical resistance and relative changes to the thermal conductivity, enabling the determination of relative changes in the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT), which increases dramatically after 3 GPa, reaching 350 % of the lowest pressure ZT value. Our results demonstrate a fundamental relationship between structure and thermoelectricmore » behaviours and suggest that pressure is an effective tool to control them.« less

Giant Pressure-Induced Enhancement of Seebeck Coefficient and Thermoelectric Efficiency in SnTe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, Jason; Kumar, Ravhi; Park, Changyong

The thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline SnTe have been measured up to 4.5 GPa at 330 K. SnTe shows an enormous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient, greater than 200 % after 3 GPa, which correlates to a known pressure-induced structural phase transition that is observed through simultaneous in situ X-ray diffraction measurement. Electrical resistance and relative changes to the thermal conductivity were also measured, enabling the determination of relative changes in the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT), which increases dramatically after 3 GPa, reaching 350 % of the lowest pressure ZT value. The results demonstrate a fundamental relationship between structure and thermoelectricmore » behaviours and suggest that pressure is an effective tool to control them.« less

Giant Pressure-Induced Enhancement of Seebeck Coefficient and Thermoelectric Efficiency in SnTe

DOE PAGES

Baker, Jason; Kumar, Ravhi; Park, Changyong; ...

2017-10-30

The thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline SnTe have been measured up to 4.5 GPa at 330 K. SnTe shows an enormous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient, greater than 200 % after 3 GPa, which correlates to a known pressure-induced structural phase transition that is observed through simultaneous in situ X-ray diffraction measurement. We also measured electrical resistance and relative changes to the thermal conductivity, enabling the determination of relative changes in the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT), which increases dramatically after 3 GPa, reaching 350 % of the lowest pressure ZT value. Our results demonstrate a fundamental relationship between structure and thermoelectricmore » behaviours and suggest that pressure is an effective tool to control them.« less

High-performance n-type Yb xCo 4Sb 12: from partially filled skutterudites towards composite thermoelectrics

DOE PAGES

Wang, Shanyu; Salvador, James R.; Yang, Jiong; ...

2016-07-01

The filling fraction limit (FFL) of skutterudites, that is, the complex balance of formation enthalpies among different species, is an intricate but crucial parameter for achieving high thermoelectric performance. In this work, we synthesized a series of Yb xCo 4Sb 12 samples with x=0.2–0.6 and systemically studied the FFL of Yb, which is still debated even though this system has been extensively investigated for decades. Our combined experimental efforts of X-ray diffraction, microstructural and quantitative compositional analyses clearly reveal a Yb FFL of ~0.29 in CoSb 3, which is consistent with previous theoretical calculations. For the excess Yb in samplesmore » with x>0.35 mainly form metallic YbSb 2 precipitates, the Fermi level increases significantly and thus increases the electrical conductivity and decreasing the Seebeck coefficient. Our result is further corroborated by the numerical calculations based on the Bergman’s composite theory, which accurately reproduces the transport properties of the x>0.35 samples based on nominal Yb 0.35Co 4Sb 12 and YbSb 2 composites. A maximum ZT of 1.5 at 850 K is achieved for Yb 0.3Co 4Sb 12, which is the highest value for a single-element-filled CoSb 3. The high ZT originates from the high-power factor (in excess of 50 μW cm -K -2) and low lattice thermal conductivity (well below 1.0 W m -K -1). More importantly, the large average ZTs, for example, ~1.05 for 300–850 K and ~1.27 for 500–850 K, are comparable to the best values for n-type skutterudites. The high thermoelectric and thermomechanical performances and the relatively low air and moisture sensitivities of Yb make Yb-filled CoSb 3, a promising candidate for large-scale power generation applications.« less

Improved thermoelectric property of B-doped Si/Ge multilayered quantum dot films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Ying; Miao, Lei; Li, Chao; Huang, Rong; Urushihara, Daisuke; Asaka, Toru; Nakatsuka, Osamu; Tanemura, Sakae

2018-01-01

The use of nanostructured thermoelectric materials that can effectively reduce the lattice conductivity with minimal effects on electrical properties has been recognized as the most successful approach to decoupling three key parameters (S, σ, and κ) and reaching high a dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) values. Here, five-period multilayer films consisting of 10 nm B-doped Si, 1.1 nm B, and 13 nm B-doped Ge layers in each period were prepared on Si wafer substrates using a magnetron sputtering system. Nanocrystallites of 22 nm diameter were formed by post-annealing at 800 °C in a short time. The nanostructures were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The maximum Seebeck coefficient of Si/Ge films is significantly increased to 850 µV/K at 200 °C with their electrical resistivity decreased to 1.3 × 10-5 Ω·m, and the maximum power factor increased to 5.6 × 10-2 W·m-1·K-2. The improved thermoelectric properties of Si/Ge nanostructured films are possibly attributable to the synergistic effects of interface scattering, interface barrier, and quantum dot localization.

Thermoelectric transport properties of BaBiTe{sub 3}-based materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Yiming; Zhao, Li-Dong, E-mail: zhaolidong@buaa.edu.cn

BaBiTe{sub 3}, a material with low thermal conductivity, is an inferior thermoelectric material due to the poor electrical properties originated from its narrow band gap. We choose two types of dopants, K and La, trying to optimize its electrical transport properties. The minority carriers, which harm the Seebeck coefficient in this system, are suppressed by La doping. With the increase of both electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, the power factor of 3% La doped BaBiTe{sub 3} reaches 3.7 μW cm{sup −1} K{sup −2} which increased by 40% from undoped BaBiTe{sub 3}. Besides high power factor, the thermal conductivity is alsomore » reduced in it. Eventually, a high ZT value, 0.25 at 473 K, for n-type BaBiTe{sub 3} is achieved in 3% La doped BaBiTe{sub 3}. - Graphical abstract: BaBiTe{sub 3} possesses a low thermal conductivity. However, it is an inferior thermoelectric material due to the poor electrical properties originated from its narrow band gap. A high ZT value of 0.25 at 473 K for n-type BaBiTe{sub 3} can be achieved through optimizing electrical transport properties via La doping. - Highlights: • BaBiTe{sub 3} is an analogue of these promising thermoelectric materials: such as CsBi{sub 4}Te{sub 6} and K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13}, etc. • BaBiTe{sub 3} possesses a low thermal conductivity. • La is an effective dopant to enhance electrical transport properties. • A high ZT value of 0.25 at 473 K can be achieved in n-type La-doped BaBiTe{sub 3}.« less

Sensitivity of low-energy incomplete fusion to various entrance-channel parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Harish; Tali, Suhail A.; Afzal Ansari, M.; Singh, D.; Ali, Rahbar; Kumar, Kamal; Sathik, N. P. M.; Ali, Asif; Parashari, Siddharth; Dubey, R.; Bala, Indu; Kumar, R.; Singh, R. P.; Muralithar, S.

2018-03-01

The disentangling of incomplete fusion dependence on various entrance channel parameters has been made from the forward recoil range distribution measurement for the 12C+175Lu system at ≈ 88 MeV energy. It gives the direct measure of full and/or partial linear momentum transfer from the projectile to the target nucleus. The comparison of observed recoil ranges with theoretical ranges calculated using the code SRIM infers the production of evaporation residues via complete and/or incomplete fusion process. Present results show that incomplete fusion process contributes significantly in the production of α xn and 2α xn emission channels. The deduced incomplete fusion probability (F_{ICF}) is compared with that obtained for systems available in the literature. An interesting behavior of F_{ICF} with ZP ZT is observed in the reinvestigation of incomplete fusion dependency with the Coulomb factor (ZPZT), contrary to the recent observations. The present results based on (ZPZT) are found in good agreement with recent observations of our group. A larger F_{ICF} value for 12C induced reactions is found than that for 13C, although both have the same ZPZT. A nonsystematic behavior of the incomplete fusion process with the target deformation parameter (β2) is observed, which is further correlated with a new parameter (ZP ZT . β2). The projectile α -Q-value is found to explain more clearly the discrepancy observed in incomplete fusion dependency with parameters ( ZPZT) and (ZP ZT . β2). It may be pointed out that any single entrance channel parameter (mass-asymmetry or (ZPZT) or β2 or projectile α-Q-value) may not be able to explain completely the incomplete fusion process.

Thermoelectric ZT enhanced by asymmetric configuration in single-molecule-magnet junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Pengbin; Shi, Yunlong; Sun, Zhu; Nie, Yi-Hang; Luo, Hong-Gang

2016-02-01

In mesoscopic devices, many factors like the Coulomb and spin interactions can enhance the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT. Here we use a system consisting of a single-molecule magnet (SMM) connected to two ferromagnetic electrodes to consider the possible enhancement effects of thermoelectric efficiency. By introducing an asymmetric configuration to the transport junction, we find that this configuration can significantly enhance the thermoelectric ZT. The optimized asymmetric thermoelectric ZT is five times that of the ZT with a symmetric configuration or non-magnetic case. Due to this asymmetry, a non-zero charge thermopower at the electron-hole symmetry point is also found. These results demonstrate that the asymmetry of the transport junction helps to enhance thermoelectric efficiency and is useful for fabricating SMM-based thermoelectric devices.

High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals.

PubMed

Varghese, Tony; Hollar, Courtney; Richardson, Joseph; Kempf, Nicholas; Han, Chao; Gamarachchi, Pasindu; Estrada, David; Mehta, Rutvik J; Zhang, Yanliang

2016-09-12

Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstrate a peak ZT of 0.43 along with superior flexibility, which is among the highest reported ZT values in flexible thermoelectric materials. A flexible thermoelectric device fabricated using the printed films produces a high power density of 4.1 mW/cm(2) with 60 °C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. The highly scalable and low cost process to fabricate flexible thermoelectric materials and devices demonstrated here opens up many opportunities to transform thermoelectric energy harvesting and cooling applications.

High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Varghese, Tony; Hollar, Courtney; Richardson, Joseph

Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstratemore » a peak ZT of 0.43 along with superior flexibility, which is among the highest reported ZT values in flexible thermoelectric materials. A flexible thermoelectric device fabricated using the printed films produces a high power density of 4.1 mW/cm 2 with 60°C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. In conclusion, the highly scalable and low cost process to fabricate flexible thermoelectric materials and devices demonstrated here opens up many opportunities to transform thermoelectric energy harvesting and cooling applications.« less

High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals

DOE PAGES

Varghese, Tony; Hollar, Courtney; Richardson, Joseph; ...

2016-09-12

Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstratemore » a peak ZT of 0.43 along with superior flexibility, which is among the highest reported ZT values in flexible thermoelectric materials. A flexible thermoelectric device fabricated using the printed films produces a high power density of 4.1 mW/cm 2 with 60°C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. In conclusion, the highly scalable and low cost process to fabricate flexible thermoelectric materials and devices demonstrated here opens up many opportunities to transform thermoelectric energy harvesting and cooling applications.« less

High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals

PubMed Central

Varghese, Tony; Hollar, Courtney; Richardson, Joseph; Kempf, Nicholas; Han, Chao; Gamarachchi, Pasindu; Estrada, David; Mehta, Rutvik J.; Zhang, Yanliang

2016-01-01

Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstrate a peak ZT of 0.43 along with superior flexibility, which is among the highest reported ZT values in flexible thermoelectric materials. A flexible thermoelectric device fabricated using the printed films produces a high power density of 4.1 mW/cm2 with 60 °C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. The highly scalable and low cost process to fabricate flexible thermoelectric materials and devices demonstrated here opens up many opportunities to transform thermoelectric energy harvesting and cooling applications. PMID:27615036

Power factor improvement and thermal conductivity reduction---By band engineering and modulation-doping in nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Bo

Thermoelectrics, as one promising approach for solid-state energy conversion between heat and electricity, is becoming increasingly important within the last a couple of decades as the availability and negative environmental impact of fossil fuels draw increasing attention. Therefore, various thermoelectric materials in a wide working temperature range from room temperature to 1000 °C for power generation or below zero for cooling applications have been intensively studied. In general, the efficiency of thermoelectric devices relies on the dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT) of the material, defined as ZT=(S2sigma)T/kappa, where S is the Seebeck coefficient, sigma the electrical conductivity, kappa the thermal conductivity (sum of the electronic part, the lattice part, and the bipolar contribution at high temperature region), and T the absolute temperature during operation. Techniques to measure those individual parameters will be discussed in the 2nd chapter while the 1 st chapter mainly covers the fundamental theory of thermoelectrics. Recently, the idea of using various nanostructured materials to further improve the ZT of conventional thermoelectric materials has led to a renewed interest. Among these types of nanostructured materials, nanocomposites which mainly denote for the nano-grained bulk materials or materials with nano-sized inclusions are the major focus of our study. For nanocomposites, the enhancement in ZT mainly comes from the low lattice thermal conductivity due to the suppressed phonon transport by those interfaces or structure features in the nanometer scale without deteriorating the electron transport. In the last few years, we have successfully demonstrated in several materials systems (Bismuth Telluride, Skutterudites, Silicon Germanium) that ball milling followed by hot pressing is an effective way for preparing large quantities of those nanocomposite thermoelectric materials with high ZT values in the bulk form. Therefore, in the 3rd part of this thesis, I will talk about how I applied the same technique to the Thalllium (Tl) doped Lead Telluride (PbTe) which was reported for an improved Seebeck coefficient due to the creation of resonant states near the Fermi level, leading to a high ZT of about 1.5 at around 500 °C. I showed that comparing with conventional tedious, energy consuming melting method, our fabrication process could produce such material with competing thermoelectric performance, but much simpler and more energy effective. Potential problems and perspectives for the future study are also discussed. The 4th chapter of my thesis deals with the challenge that in addition to those nanostructuring routes that mainly reduce the thermal conductivity to improve the performance, strategies to enhance the power factor (enhancing sigma or S or both) are also essential for the next generation of thermoelectric materials. In this part, modulation-doping which has been widely used in thin film semiconductor industry was studied in 3-D bulk thermoelectric nanocomposites to enhance the carrier mobility and therefore the electrical conductivity sigma. We proved in our study that by proper materials design, an improved power factor and a reduced thermal conductivity could be simultaneously obtained in the n-type SiGe nanocomposite material, which in turn gives an about 30% enhancement in the final ZT value. In order to further improve the materials performance or even apply this strategy to other materials systems, I also provided discussions at the end of chapter. In the last chapter, the structural and transport properties of a new thermoelectric compound Cu2Se was studied which was originally regarded as a superionic conductor. The beta-phase of such material possesses a natural superlattice-like structure, therefore resulting in a low lattice thermal conductivity of 0.4--0.5 Wm-1K-1 and a high peak ZT value of ˜1.6 at around 700 °C. I also studied the phase transition behavior between the cubic beta-phase and the tetragonal alpha-phase of such material from the discontinuity of transport property curves and the change in crystal structure. In addition, I also talk about the abnormal decrease in specific heat with increasing temperature that I observed in the as-prepared Cu2Se samples. I suggest this material is of general interest to a broad range of researchers in Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Science.

Rhombohedral to Cubic Conversion of GeTe via MnTe Alloying Leads to Ultralow Thermal Conductivity, Electronic Band Convergence, and High Thermoelectric Performance.

PubMed

Zheng, Zheng; Su, Xianli; Deng, Rigui; Stoumpos, Constantinos; Xie, Hongyao; Liu, Wei; Yan, Yonggao; Hao, Shiqiang; Uher, Ctirad; Wolverton, Chris; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G; Tang, Xinfeng

2018-02-21

In this study, a series of Ge 1-x Mn x Te (x = 0-0.21) compounds were prepared by a melting-quenching-annealing process combined with spark plasma sintering (SPS). The effect of alloying MnTe into GeTe on the structure and thermoelectric properties of Ge 1-x Mn x Te is profound. With increasing content of MnTe, the structure of the Ge 1-x Mn x Te compounds gradually changes from rhombohedral to cubic, and the known R3m to Fm-3m phase transition temperature of GeTe moves from 700 K closer to room temperature. First-principles density functional theory calculations show that alloying MnTe into GeTe decreases the energy difference between the light and heavy valence bands in both the R3m and Fm-3m structures, enhancing a multiband character of the valence band edge that increases the hole carrier effective mass. The effect of this band convergence is a significant enhancement in the carrier effective mass from 1.44 m 0 (GeTe) to 6.15 m 0 (Ge 0.85 Mn 0.15 Te). In addition, alloying with MnTe decreases the phonon relaxation time by enhancing alloy scattering, reduces the phonon velocity, and increases Ge vacancies all of which result in an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity of 0.13 W m -1 K -1 at 823 K. Subsequent doping of the Ge 0.9 Mn 0.1 Te compositions with Sb lowers the typical very high hole carrier concentration and brings it closer to its optimal value enhancing the power factor, which combined with the ultralow thermal conductivity yields a maximum ZT value of 1.61 at 823 K (for Ge 0.86 Mn 0.10 Sb 0.04 Te). The average ZT value of the compound over the temperature range 400-800 K is 1.09, making it the best GeTe-based thermoelectric material.

Thermoelectric efficiency of single-molecule junctions with long molecular linkers.

PubMed

Zimbovskaya, Natalya A

2018-06-18

We report results of theoretical studies of thermoelectric efficiency of single-molecule junctions with long molecular linkers. The linker is simulated by a chain of identical sites described using a tight-binding model. It is shown that thermoelectric figure of merit ZT strongly depends on the bridge length, being controlled by the lineshape of electron transmission function within the tunnel energy range corresponding to HOMO/LUMO transport channel. Using the adopted model we demonstrate that ZT may significantly increase as the linker lengthens, and that gateway states on the bridge (if any) may noticeably affect the length-dependent ZT. Temperature dependences of ZT for various bridge lengths are analyzed. It is shown that broad minima emerge in ZT versus temperature curves whose positions are controlled by the bridge lengths. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Disruption of the circadian period of body temperature by the anesthetic propofol.

PubMed

Touitou, Yvan; Mauvieux, Benoit; Reinberg, Alain; Dispersyn, Garance

2016-01-01

The circadian time structure of an organism can be desynchronized in a large number of instances, including the intake of specific drugs. We have previously found that propofol, which is a general anesthetic, induces a desynchronization of the circadian time structure in rats, with a 60-80 min significant phase advance of body temperature circadian rhythm. We thus deemed it worthwhile to examine whether this phase shift of body temperature was related to a modification of the circadian period Tau. Propofol was administered at three different Zeitgeber Times (ZTs): ZT6 (middle of the rest period), ZT10 (2 h prior to the beginning of activity period), ZT16 (4 h after the beginning of the activity period), with ZT0 being the beginning of the rest period (light onset) and ZT12 being the beginning of the activity period (light offset). Control rats (n = 20) were injected at the same ZTs with 10% intralipid, which is a control lipidic solution. Whereas no modification of the circadian period of body temperature was observed in the control rats, propofol administration resulted in a significant shortening of the period by 96 and 180 min at ZT6 and ZT10, respectively. By contrast, the period was significantly lengthened by 90 min at ZT16. We also found differences in the time it took for the rats to readjust their body temperature to the original 24-h rhythm. At ZT16, the speed of readjustment was more rapid than at the two other ZTs that we investigated. This study hence shows (i) the disruptive effects of the anesthetic propofol on the body temperature circadian rhythm, and it points out that (ii) the period Tau for body temperature responds to this anesthetic drug according to a Tau-response curve. By sustaining postoperative sleep-wake disorders, the disruptive effects of propofol on circadian time structure might have important implications for the use of this drug in humans.

A conserved fungal glycosyltransferase facilitates pathogenesis of plants by enabling hyphal growth on solid surfaces

PubMed Central

Plummer, Amy; Halsey, Kirstie; Lovegrove, Alison; Hammond-Kosack, Kim

2017-01-01

Pathogenic fungi must extend filamentous hyphae across solid surfaces to cause diseases of plants. However, the full inventory of genes which support this is incomplete and many may be currently concealed due to their essentiality for the hyphal growth form. During a random T-DNA mutagenesis screen performed on the pleomorphic wheat (Triticum aestivum) pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici, we acquired a mutant unable to extend hyphae specifically when on solid surfaces. In contrast “yeast-like” growth, and all other growth forms, were unaffected. The inability to extend surface hyphae resulted in a complete loss of virulence on plants. The affected gene encoded a predicted type 2 glycosyltransferase (ZtGT2). Analysis of >800 genomes from taxonomically diverse fungi highlighted a generally widespread, but discontinuous, distribution of ZtGT2 orthologues, and a complete absence of any similar proteins in non-filamentous ascomycete yeasts. Deletion mutants of the ZtGT2 orthologue in the taxonomically un-related fungus Fusarium graminearum were also severely impaired in hyphal growth and non-pathogenic on wheat ears. ZtGT2 expression increased during filamentous growth and electron microscopy on deletion mutants (ΔZtGT2) suggested the protein functions to maintain the outermost surface of the fungal cell wall. Despite this, adhesion to leaf surfaces was unaffected in ΔZtGT2 mutants and global RNAseq-based gene expression profiling highlighted that surface-sensing and protein secretion was also largely unaffected. However, ΔZtGT2 mutants constitutively overexpressed several transmembrane and secreted proteins, including an important LysM-domain chitin-binding virulence effector, Zt3LysM. ZtGT2 likely functions in the synthesis of a currently unknown, potentially minor but widespread, extracellular or outer cell wall polysaccharide which plays a key role in facilitating many interactions between plants and fungi by enabling hyphal growth on solid matrices. PMID:29020037

Heavily Doped PBSE with High Thermoelectric Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, G. Jeffrey (Inventor); Wang, Heng (Inventor); Pei, Yanzhong (Inventor)

2015-01-01

The present invention discloses heavily doped PbSe with high thermoelectric performance. Thermoelectric property measurements disclosed herein indicated that PbSe is high zT material for mid-to-high temperature thermoelectric applications. At 850 K a peak zT (is) greater than 1.3 was observed when n(sub H) approximately 1.0 X 10(exp 20) cm(exp -3). The present invention also discloses that a number of strategies used to improve zT of PbTe, such as alloying with other elements, nanostructuring and band modification may also be used to further improve zT in PbSe.

A Regional Analysis of Non-Methane Hydrocarbons And Meteorology of The Rural Southeast United States

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-01-01

Zt is an ARIMA time series. This is a typical regression model , except that it allows for autocorrelation in the error term Z. In this work, an ARMA...data=folder; var residual; run; II Statistical output of 1992 regression model on 1993 ozone data ARIMA Procedure Maximum Likelihood Estimation Approx...at each of the sites, and to show the effect of synoptic meteorology on high ozone by examining NOAA daily weather maps and climatic data

Optimization of thermoelectric performance of SrSi2-based alloys via the modification in band structure and phonon-point-defect scattering

PubMed Central

Kuo, Yung-Kang; Ramachandran, Balakrishnan; Lue, Chin-Shan

2014-01-01

Thermoelectric properties of alkaline-earth-metal disilicides are strongly dependent on their electronic band structure in the vicinity of the Fermi level. In particular, the strontium disilicide, SrSi2 with a narrow band gap of about few tens of meV is composed of non-toxic, naturally abundant elements, and its thermoelectric properties are very sensitive to the substitution/alloying with third elements. In this article, we summarize the thermoelectric performance of substituted and Sr-deficient/Sr-rich SrSi2 alloys to realize the high thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) for practical applications in the electronic and thermoelectric aspects, and also to explore the alternative routes to further improve its ZT value. PMID:25505784

High doping effect on the thermoelectric properties of p-type lead telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dmitriev, A. V.

2018-04-01

We study theoretically the effect of heavy doping on the thermoelectric properties of p-type PbTe in the acceptor doping interval of 5 × 1019 to 4 × 1020 cm-3 and in the temperature range of 300 to 900 K. In our calculations, a three-band model of the PbTe electron energy spectrum is used that takes into account not only the light electron and hole bands but also the heavy-hole band. This so-called Σ-band plays an important role in the emergence of the figure-of-merit increase in this material at heavy acceptor doping. The calculated thermoelectric characteristics appear to be sensitive to the doping level. An increase in the figure-of-merit up to ZT ≈ 1.3 at 900 K was found at the doping level of 2 × 1020 cm-3. The maximum of ZT on the temperature axis is situated close to the temperature at which the light hole and heavy hole band edges coincide and hence, a prominent density-of-states singularity appears in the valence band, and the Fermi level lies near this singularity.

Metallic-covalent bonding conversion and thermoelectric properties of Al-based icosahedral quasicrystals and approximants.

PubMed

Takagiwa, Yoshiki; Kimura, Kaoru

2014-08-01

In this article, we review the characteristic features of icosahedral cluster solids, metallic-covalent bonding conversion (MCBC), and the thermoelectric properties of Al-based icosahedral quasicrystals and approximants. MCBC is clearly distinguishable from and closely related to the well-known metal-insulator transition. This unique bonding conversion has been experimentally verified in 1/1-AlReSi and 1/0-Al 12 Re approximants by the maximum entropy method and Rietveld refinement for powder x-ray diffraction data, and is caused by a central atom inside the icosahedral clusters. This helps to understand pseudogap formation in the vicinity of the Fermi energy and establish a guiding principle for tuning the thermoelectric properties. From the electron density distribution analysis, rigid heavy clusters weakly bonded with glue atoms are observed in the 1/1-AlReSi approximant crystal, whose physical properties are close to icosahedral Al-Pd-TM (TM: Re, Mn) quasicrystals. They are considered to be an intermediate state among the three typical solids: metals, covalently bonded networks (semiconductor), and molecular solids. Using the above picture and detailed effective mass analysis, we propose a guiding principle of weakly bonded rigid heavy clusters to increase the thermoelectric figure of merit ( ZT ) by optimizing the bond strengths of intra- and inter-icosahedral clusters. Through element substitutions that mainly weaken the inter-cluster bonds, a dramatic increase of ZT from less than 0.01 to 0.26 was achieved. To further increase ZT , materials should form a real gap to obtain a higher Seebeck coefficient.

Superionic phase transition in silver chalcogenide nanocrystals realizing optimized thermoelectric performance.

PubMed

Xiao, Chong; Xu, Jie; Li, Kun; Feng, Jun; Yang, Jinlong; Xie, Yi

2012-03-07

Thermoelectric has long been recognized as a potentially transformative energy conversion technology due to its ability to convert heat directly into electricity. However, how to optimize the three interdependent thermoelectric parameters (i.e., electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and thermal conductivity κ) for improving thermoelectric properties is still challenging. Here, we put forward for the first time the semiconductor-superionic conductor phase transition as a new and effective way to selectively optimize the thermoelectric power factor based on the modulation of the electric transport property across the phase transition. Ultra low value of thermal conductivity was successfully retained over the whole investigated temperature range through the reduction of grain size. As a result, taking monodisperse Ag(2)Se nanocrystals for an example, the maximized ZT value can be achieved around the temperature of phase transition. Furthermore, along with the effective scattering of short-wavelength phonons by atomic defects created by alloying, the alloyed ternary silver chalcogenide compounds, monodisperse Ag(4)SeS nanocrystals, show better ZT value around phase transition temperature, which is cooperatively contributed by superionic phase transition and alloying at nanoscale. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Nocturnal Light Exposure Alters Hepatic Pai-1 Expression by Stimulating the Adrenal Pathway in C3H Mice

PubMed Central

Aoshima, Yoshiki; Sakakibara, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Taka-aki; Yamazaki, Shunsuke; Shimoi, Kayoko

2014-01-01

Recent studies have suggested the possibility that nocturnal light exposure affects many biological processes in rodents, especially the circadian rhythm, an endogenous oscillation of approximately 24 h. However, there is still insufficient information about the physiological effects of nocturnal light exposure. In this study, we examined the changes in gene expression and serum levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a major component of the fibrinolytic system that shows typical circadian rhythmicity, in C3H/He mice. Zeitgeber time (ZT) was assessed with reference to the onset of light period (ZT0). Exposure to fluorescent light (70 lux) for 1 h in the dark period (ZT14) caused a significant increase in hepatic Pai-1 gene expression at ZT16. Serum PAI-1 levels also tended to increase, albeit not significantly. Expression levels of the typical clock genes Bmal1, Clock, and Per1 were significantly increased at ZT21, ZT16, and ZT18, respectively. Exposure to nocturnal light significantly increased plasma adrenalin levels. The effects of nocturnal light exposure on Pai-1 expression disappeared in adrenalectomized mice, although the changes in clock genes were still apparent. In conclusion, our results suggest that nocturnal light exposure, even for 1 h, alters hepatic Pai-1 gene expression by stimulating the adrenal pathway. Adrenalin secreted from the adrenal gland may be an important signaling mediator of the change in Pai-1 expression in response to nocturnal light exposure. PMID:25077763

Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of tantalum-doped ZrNiSn half-Heusler alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Degang; Zuo, Min; Wang, Zhenqing; Teng, Xinying; Geng, Haoran

2014-04-01

The Ta-doped ZrNiSn half-Heusler alloys, Zr1-xTaxNiSn, were synthesized by arc melting and hot-press sintering. Microstructure of Zr1-xTaxNiSn compounds were analyzed and the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Zr1-xTaxNiSn compounds were measured from room temperature to 823 K. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing Ta content. The Seebeck coefficient of Zr1-xTaxNiSn compounds was sharply decreased with increasing Ta content. The Hall mobility was proportional to T-1.5 above 673 K, indicating that the acoustic phonon scattering was predominant in the temperature range. The thermal conductivity was effectively depressed by introducing Ta substitution. The figure of merit of ZrNiSn compounds was improved due to the decreased thermal conductivity and increased electrical conductivity. The maximum ZT value of 0.60 was achieved for Zr0.97Ta0.03NiSn sample at 823 K.

Diameter dependent thermoelectric properties of individual SnTe nanowires

DOE PAGES

Xu, E. Z.; Li, Z.; Martinez, J. A.; ...

2015-01-15

The lead-free compound tin telluride (SnTe) has recently been suggested to be a promising thermoelectric material. In this work, we report on the first thermoelectric study of individual single-crystalline SnTe nanowires with different diameters ranging from ~ 218 to ~ 913 nm. Measurements of thermopower S, electrical conductivity σ and thermal conductivity κ were carried out on the same nanowires over a temperature range of 25 - 300 K. While the electrical conductivity does not show a strong diameter dependence, the thermopower increases by a factor of two when the nanowire diameter is decreased from ~ 913 nm to ~more » 218 nm. The thermal conductivity of the measured NWs is lower than that of the bulk SnTe, which may arise from the enhanced phonon - surface boundary scattering and phonon-defect scattering. Lastly, temperature dependent figure of merit ZT was determined for individual nanowires and the achieved maximum value at room temperature is about three times higher than that in bulk samples of comparable carrier density.« less

Significant enhancement in thermoelectric performance of nanostructured higher manganese silicides synthesized employing a melt spinning technique.

PubMed

Muthiah, Saravanan; Singh, R C; Pathak, B D; Avasthi, Piyush Kumar; Kumar, Rishikesh; Kumar, Anil; Srivastava, A K; Dhar, Ajay

2018-01-25

The limited thermoelectric performance of p-type Higher Manganese Silicides (HMS) in terms of their low figure-of-merit (ZT), which is far below unity, is the main bottle-neck for realising an efficient HMS based thermoelectric generator, which has been recognized as the most promising material for harnessing waste-heat in the mid-temperature range, owing to its thermal stability, earth-abundant and environmentally friendly nature of its constituent elements. We report a significant enhancement in the thermoelectric performance of nanostructured HMS synthesized using rapid solidification by optimizing the cooling rates during melt-spinning followed by spark plasma sintering of the resulting melt-spun ribbons. By employing this experimental strategy, an unprecedented ZT ∼ 0.82 at 800 K was realized in spark plasma sintered 5 at% Al-doped MnSi 1.73 HMS, melt spun at an optimized high cooling rate of ∼2 × 10 7 K s -1 . This enhancement in ZT represents a ∼25% increase over the best reported values thus far for HMS and primarily originates from a nano-crystalline microstructure consisting of a HMS matrix (20-40 nm) with excess Si (3-9 nm) uniformly distributed in it. This nanostructure, resulting from the high cooling rates employed during the melt-spinning of HMS, introduces a high density of nano-crystallite boundaries in a wide spectrum of nano-scale dimensions, which scatter the low-to-mid-wavelength heat-carrying phonons. This abundant phonon scattering results in a significantly reduced thermal conductivity of ∼1.5 W m -1 K -1 at 800 K, which primarily contributes to the enhancement in ZT.

Preparation and Some Properties of N-Type IrxCo1-xSB3 Solid Solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caillat, Thierry

1995-01-01

A number of studies have been recently devoted to the preparation and characterization of binary skutterudite materials to investigate their potential as advanced thermoelectric materials. These studies show that the potential of these binary skutterudite compounds is limited because of their relatively large thermal conductivity. In order to achieve high thermoelectric figure of merits for these materials, efforts should focus on thermal conductivity reduction. Recent results obtained on n-type CoSb3 and IrSb3 compounds have shown that n-type skutterudite materials might have a better potential for thermoelectric applications than p-type materials. The thermoelectric properties of p-type IrxCo1-xSb3 solid solutions have been recently investigated and it was shown that a substantial reduction in thermal conductivity was achieved. We prepared and measured some properties of n-type IrxCo1-xSb3 solid solutions. The samples are characterized by large Seebeck coefficient values and significantly lower thermal conductivity values than those measured on the binary compounds CoSb3 and IrSb3. A maximum ZT value of about 0.4 was obtained at a temperature of about 300(deg)C. Improvements in the figure of merit are possible in this system by optimization of the doping level.

Research update: Prediction of high figure of merit plateau in SnS and solid solution of (Pb,Sn)S

DOE PAGES

Hao, Shiqiang; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.; ...

2016-10-17

Direct conversion between thermal and electrical energy can be achieved by thermoelectric materials, which provide a viable route for power generation and solid state refrigeration. Here, we use a combination of energetic, electronic, and vibrational first-principles based results to predict the figure of merit performance in hole doped single crystals of SnS and (Pb,Sn)S. We find high ZT values for both materials, specifically for (Pb,Sn)S along the b-axis. Both SnS and (Pb,Sn)S have excellent power factors when doped, due to a combination of increased electrical conductivity (due to doping) and a significantly enhanced Seebeck coefficient obtained by a doping-induced multibandmore » effect. Anharmonic phonon calculations combined with a Debye-Calloway model show that the lattice thermal conductivity of both compounds is low, due to intrinsic anharmonicity, and is lowered further by the random, solid solution nature of the cation sublattice of (Pb,Sn)S. (Pb,Sn)S exhibits a high ZT plateau ranging from 1.3 at 300 K to 1.9 at 800 K. Finally, the overall ZT of the hole doped (Pb,Sn)S crystals is predicted to outperform most of the current state-of-the-art thermoelectric sulfide materials.« less

Research update: Prediction of high figure of merit plateau in SnS and solid solution of (Pb,Sn)S

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hao, Shiqiang; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.

Direct conversion between thermal and electrical energy can be achieved by thermoelectric materials, which provide a viable route for power generation and solid state refrigeration. Here, we use a combination of energetic, electronic, and vibrational first-principles based results to predict the figure of merit performance in hole doped single crystals of SnS and (Pb,Sn)S. We find high ZT values for both materials, specifically for (Pb,Sn)S along the b-axis. Both SnS and (Pb,Sn)S have excellent power factors when doped, due to a combination of increased electrical conductivity (due to doping) and a significantly enhanced Seebeck coefficient obtained by a doping-induced multibandmore » effect. Anharmonic phonon calculations combined with a Debye-Calloway model show that the lattice thermal conductivity of both compounds is low, due to intrinsic anharmonicity, and is lowered further by the random, solid solution nature of the cation sublattice of (Pb,Sn)S. (Pb,Sn)S exhibits a high ZT plateau ranging from 1.3 at 300 K to 1.9 at 800 K. Finally, the overall ZT of the hole doped (Pb,Sn)S crystals is predicted to outperform most of the current state-of-the-art thermoelectric sulfide materials.« less

Thermoelectric performance of co-doped SnTe with resonant levels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Min; Han, Yemao; Li, Laifeng, E-mail: laifengli@mail.ipc.ac.cn, E-mail: wangheng83@gmail.com

2016-07-25

Some group III elements such as Indium are known to produce the resonant impurity states in IV-VI compounds. The discovery of these impurity states has opened up new ways for engineering the thermoelectric properties of IV-VI compounds. In this work, resonant states in SnTe were studied by co-doping with both resonant (In) and extrinsic (Ag, I) dopants. A characteristic nonlinear relationship was observed between the Hall carrier concentration (n{sub H}) and extrinsic dopant concentration (N{sub I}, N{sub Ag}) in the stabilization region, where a linear increase of dopant concentration does not lead to linear response in the measured n{sub H}.more » Upon substituting extrinsic dopants beyond a certain amount, the n{sub H} changed proportionally with additional dopants (Ag, I) (the doping region). The Seebeck coefficients are enhanced as the resonant impurity is introduced, whereas the use of extrinsic doping only induces minor changes. Modest zT enhancements are observed at lower temperatures, which lead to an increase in the average zT values over a broad range of temperatures (300–773 K). The improved average zT obtained through co-doping indicates the promise of fine carrier density control in maximizing the favorable effect of resonant levels for thermoelectric materials.« less

To investigate the relation between pore size and twist angle in enhanced thermoelectric efficient porous armchair graphene nanoribbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Sukhdeep; Randhawa, Deep Kamal Kaur; Bindra Narang, Sukhleen

2018-05-01

Based on Non-Equilibrium Green’s function method, we demonstrate that the twisted deformation is an efficient method to improve the figure of merit ZT of porous armchair graphene nanoribbons AGNRs. The peak value of ZT can be obtained for a certain tunable twist angle. Further analysis shows that the tunable twist angle exhibits an inverse relationship with the pore size laying forth the designers a choice for the larger twists to be replaced by smaller ones simply by increasing the size of the pore. Ballistic transport regime and semi-empirical method using Huckel basis set is used to obtain the electrical properties while the Tersoff potential is employed for the phononic system. These interesting findings indicate that the twisted porous AGNRs can be utilized as designing materials for potential thermoelectric applications.

High-Oriented Thermoelectric Nano-Bulk Fabricated from Thermoelectric Ink

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyano, M.; Mizutani, S.; Hayashi, Y.; Nishino, S.; Miyata, M.; Tanaka, T.; Fukuda, K.

2017-05-01

Printing technology is expected to provide innovative and environmentally friendly processes for thermoelectric (TE) module fabrication. As described in this paper, we propose an orientation control process using plastic deformation at high temperatures and present high-oriented TE nano-bulks fabricated from bismuth telluride (Bi-Te) TE inks using this process. In the case of n-type Bi-Te, surface x-ray diffraction reveals that crystalline grains in the plastic-deformed nano-bulk demonstrate a c-plane orientation parallel to the pressed face. According to the high orientation, electrical resistivity ρ, thermal conductivity κ, and figure of merit ZT show anisotropic behavior. It is noteworthy that ( ZT)// almost reaches unity ( ZT)// ˜1 at 340 K, even at low temperatures of the plastic deformation process. In contrast, the ZT of plastic-deformed p-type nano-bulk indicates isotropic behavior. The difference in the process temperature dependence of ZT suggests that n-type and p-type nano-bulk orientation mechanisms mutually differ.

Enhanced power factor of higher manganese silicide via melt spin synthesis method

DOE PAGES

Shi, Xiaoya; Shi, Xun; Li, Yulong; ...

2014-12-30

We report on the thermoelectric properties of the Higher Manganese Silicide MnSi₁.₇₅ (HMS) synthesized by means of a one-step non-equilibrium method. The ultrahigh cooling rate generated from the melt-spin technique is found to be effective in reducing second phases, which are inevitable during the traditional solid state diffusion processes. Aside from being detrimental to thermoelectric properties, second phases skew the revealing of the intrinsic properties of this class of materials, for example the optimal level of carrier concentration. With this melt-spin sample, we are able to formulate a simple model based on a single parabolic band that can well describemore » the carrier concentration dependence of the Seebeck coefficient and power factor of the data reported in the literature. An optimal carrier concentration around 5x10²⁰ cm⁻³ at 300 K is predicted according to this model. The phase-pure melt-spin sample shows the largest power factor at high temperature, resulting in the highest zT value among the three samples in this paper; the maximum value is superior to those reported in the literatures.« less

Thermoelectric properties of p-type sb-doped Cu2SnSe3 near room and mid temperature applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, K. Shyam; Rao, Ashok; Chauhan, Nagendra S.; Bhardwaj, Ruchi; Vishwakarma, Avinash; Tyagi, Kriti

2018-02-01

In this study, we report low and mid temperature range thermoelectric properties of Sb-substituted Cu2SnSe3 compounds. The Cu2Sn1- x Sb x Se3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) alloys were prepared using conventional solid-state reaction followed by spark plasma sintering. The crystal structure was characterized using XRD and it reveals that all the samples exhibit cubic structure with space group -4/3m. The electrical transport characteristics indicate degenerate semiconducting behavior. Electrical resistivity was found to follow small polaron hopping (SPH) model in the entire temperature range of investigation. The Seebeck coefficient data reveals that the majority of charge carriers are holes and the analysis of Seebeck coefficient data gives negative values of Fermi energy indicating that the Fermi energy is below the edge of valence band. The electronic contribution ( κ e) for total thermal conductivity is found to be less than 1%. The maximum ZT value of 0.64 is observed for the sample with x = 0.03 (at 700 K) which is approximately 2.3 times that of the pristine sample.

Enhanced power factor of higher manganese silicide via melt spin synthesis method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, Xiaoya; Shi, Xun; Li, Yulong

We report on the thermoelectric properties of the Higher Manganese Silicide MnSi₁.₇₅ (HMS) synthesized by means of a one-step non-equilibrium method. The ultrahigh cooling rate generated from the melt-spin technique is found to be effective in reducing second phases, which are inevitable during the traditional solid state diffusion processes. Aside from being detrimental to thermoelectric properties, second phases skew the revealing of the intrinsic properties of this class of materials, for example the optimal level of carrier concentration. With this melt-spin sample, we are able to formulate a simple model based on a single parabolic band that can well describemore » the carrier concentration dependence of the Seebeck coefficient and power factor of the data reported in the literature. An optimal carrier concentration around 5x10²⁰ cm⁻³ at 300 K is predicted according to this model. The phase-pure melt-spin sample shows the largest power factor at high temperature, resulting in the highest zT value among the three samples in this paper; the maximum value is superior to those reported in the literatures.« less

Effects of bisphenol A, an environmental endocrine disruptor, on the endogenous hormones of plants.

PubMed

Wang, Shengman; Wang, Lihong; Hua, Weiqi; Zhou, Min; Wang, Qingqing; Zhou, Qing; Huang, Xiaohua

2015-11-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemical in the environment that exerts potential harm to plants. Phytohormones play important roles both in regulating multiple aspects of plant growth and in plants' responses to environmental stresses. But how BPA affects plant growth by regulating endogenous hormones remains poorly understood. Here, we found that treatment with 1.5 mg L(-1) BPA improved the growth of soybean seedlings, companied by increases in the contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and zeatin (ZT), and decreases in the ratios of abscisic acid (ABA)/IAA, ABA/gibberellic acid (GA), ABA/ZT, ethylene (ETH)/GA, ETH/IAA, and ETH/ZT. Treatment with higher concentrations of BPA (from 3 to 96 mg L(-1)) inhibited the growth of soybean seedlings, meanwhile, decreased the contents of IAA, GA, ZT, and ETH, and increased the content of ABA and the ratios of ABA/IAA, ABA/GA, ABA/ZT, ETH/GA, ETH/IAA, and ETH/ZT. The increases in the ratios of growth and stress hormones were correlated with the increase in the BPA content of the roots. Thus, BPA could affect plant growth through changing the levels of single endogenous hormone and the ratios of growth and stress hormones in the roots because of BPA absorption by the roots.

Circadian Disruption Alters the Effects of Lipopolysaccharide Treatment on Circadian and Ultradian Locomotor Activity and Body Temperature Rhythms of Female Siberian Hamsters

PubMed Central

Prendergast, Brian J.; Cable, Erin J.; Stevenson, Tyler J.; Onishi, Kenneth G.; Zucker, Irving; Kay, Leslie M.

2016-01-01

The effect of circadian rhythm (CR) disruption on immune function depends on the method by which CRs are disrupted. Behavioral and thermoregulatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment were assessed in female Siberian hamsters in which circadian locomotor activity (LMA) rhythms were eliminated by exposure to a disruptive phase-shifting protocol (DPS) that sustains arrhythmicity even when hamsters are housed in a light-dark cycle. This noninvasive treatment avoids genome manipulations and neurological damage associated with other models of CR disruption. Circadian rhythmic (RHYTH) and arrhythmic (ARR) hamsters housed in a 16L:8D photocycle were injected with bacterial LPS near the onset of the light (zeitgeber time 1; ZT1) or dark (ZT16) phase. LPS injections at ZT16 and ZT1 elicited febrile responses in both RHYTH and ARR hamsters, but the effect was attenuated in the arrhythmic females. In ZT16, LPS inhibited LMA in the dark phase immediately after injection but not on subsequent nights in both chronotypes; in contrast, LPS at ZT1 elicited more enduring (~4 day) locomotor hypoactivity in ARR than in RHYTH hamsters. Power and period of dark-phase ultradian rhythms (URs) in LMA and Tb were markedly altered by LPS treatment, as was the power in the circadian waveform. Disrupted circadian rhythms in this model system attenuated responses to LPS in a trait- and ZT-specific manner; changes in UR period and power are novel components of the acute-phase response to infection that may affect energy conservation. PMID:26566981

Unravelling the magnetism, high spin polarization and thermoelectric efficiency of ZrFeSi half-Heusler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousuf, Saleem; Gupta, D. C.

2018-04-01

We report the systematic investigation of structural properties, occupancy of density of states, nature of bonding and thermoelectric efficiency of half-Heusler ZrFeSi. The band structure analysis predicts the hybridization of Zr-d and Fe-d metal atoms resulting in occupation of density of states above the Fermi level (EF) while Fe-p and Si-p occupy the lower energy states below the EF. Thermoelectric transport coefficients are predicted using the Boltzmann transport theory under constant relaxation approximation, where Seebeck coefficient (S), total thermal conductivity and figure of merit are calculated. The negative value of total S as -14.02 μV/K predicts the material as n-type with thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) of 0.5 at 800 K. The lattice thermal conductivity decreases with increasing temperature with room temperature value of 4.18 W/mK and shows a significant reduction towards higher temperatures. In view of above elements, structural stability, high zT, ZrFeSi alloy have the capabilities to stimulate experimental verification as a promising materials for high temperature power generation and spintronic device fabrications.

Separation of components from a scale mixture of Gaussian white noises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vamoş, Călin; Crăciun, Maria

2010-05-01

The time evolution of a physical quantity associated with a thermodynamic system whose equilibrium fluctuations are modulated in amplitude by a slowly varying phenomenon can be modeled as the product of a Gaussian white noise {Zt} and a stochastic process with strictly positive values {Vt} referred to as volatility. The probability density function (pdf) of the process Xt=VtZt is a scale mixture of Gaussian white noises expressed as a time average of Gaussian distributions weighted by the pdf of the volatility. The separation of the two components of {Xt} can be achieved by imposing the condition that the absolute values of the estimated white noise be uncorrelated. We apply this method to the time series of the returns of the daily S&P500 index, which has also been analyzed by means of the superstatistics method that imposes the condition that the estimated white noise be Gaussian. The advantage of our method is that this financial time series is processed without partitioning or removal of the extreme events and the estimated white noise becomes almost Gaussian only as result of the uncorrelation condition.

Exploring the doping effects of Ag in p-type PbSe compounds with enhanced thermoelectric performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shanyu; Zheng, Gang; Luo, Tingting; She, Xiaoyu; Li, Han; Tang, Xinfeng

2011-11-01

In this study, we prepared a series of Ag-doped PbSe bulk materials by a melting-quenching process combined with a subsequent spark plasma sintering process, and systematically investigated the doping effects of Ag on the thermoelectric properties. Ag substitution in the Pb site does not introduce resonant levels near the valence band edge or detectable change in the density of state in the vicinity of the Fermi level, but moves the Fermi level down and increases the carrier concentration to a maximum value of ~4.7 × 1019 cm-3 which is still insufficient for heavily doped PbSe compounds. Nonetheless, the non-monotonic variation in carrier concentration with increasing Ag content indicates that Ag doping reaches the solution limit at ~1.0% and the excessive Ag presumably acts as donors in the materials. Moreover, the large energy gap of the PbSe-based material wipes off significant 'roll-over' in the Seebeck coefficient at elevated temperatures which gives rise to high power factors, being comparable to p-type Te analogues. Consequently, the maximum ZT reaches ~1.0 for the 1.5% Ag-doped samples with optimized carrier density, which is ~70% improvement in comparison with an undoped sample and also superior to the commercialized p-type PbTe materials.

Superlattice design for optimal thermoelectric generator performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priyadarshi, Pankaj; Sharma, Abhishek; Mukherjee, Swarnadip; Muralidharan, Bhaskaran

2018-05-01

We consider the design of an optimal superlattice thermoelectric generator via the energy bandpass filter approach. Various configurations of superlattice structures are explored to obtain a bandpass transmission spectrum that approaches the ideal ‘boxcar’ form, which is now well known to manifest the largest efficiency at a given output power in the ballistic limit. Using the coherent non-equilibrium Green’s function formalism coupled self-consistently with the Poisson’s equation, we identify such an ideal structure and also demonstrate that it is almost immune to the deleterious effect of self-consistent charging and device variability. Analyzing various superlattice designs, we conclude that superlattice with a Gaussian distribution of the barrier thickness offers the best thermoelectric efficiency at maximum power. It is observed that the best operating regime of this device design provides a maximum power in the range of 0.32–0.46 MW/m 2 at efficiencies between 54%–43% of Carnot efficiency. We also analyze our device designs with the conventional figure of merit approach to counter support the results so obtained. We note a high zT el   =  6 value in the case of Gaussian distribution of the barrier thickness. With the existing advanced thin-film growth technology, the suggested superlattice structures can be achieved, and such optimized thermoelectric performances can be realized.

Model independent constraints on transition redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jesus, J. F.; Holanda, R. F. L.; Pereira, S. H.

2018-05-01

This paper aims to put constraints on the transition redshift zt, which determines the onset of cosmic acceleration, in cosmological-model independent frameworks. In order to perform our analyses, we consider a flat universe and assume a parametrization for the comoving distance DC(z) up to third degree on z, a second degree parametrization for the Hubble parameter H(z) and a linear parametrization for the deceleration parameter q(z). For each case, we show that type Ia supernovae and H(z) data complement each other on the parameter space and tighter constrains for the transition redshift are obtained. By combining the type Ia supernovae observations and Hubble parameter measurements it is possible to constrain the values of zt, for each approach, as 0.806± 0.094, 0.870± 0.063 and 0.973± 0.058 at 1σ c.l., respectively. Then, such approaches provide cosmological-model independent estimates for this parameter.

General optical discrete z transform: design and application.

PubMed

Ngo, Nam Quoc

2016-12-20

This paper presents a generalization of the discrete z transform algorithm. It is shown that the GOD-ZT algorithm is a generalization of several important conventional discrete transforms. Based on the GOD-ZT algorithm, a tunable general optical discrete z transform (GOD-ZT) processor is synthesized using the silica-based finite impulse response transversal filter. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, the design and simulation of a tunable optical discrete Fourier transform (ODFT) processor as a special case of the synthesized GOD-ZT processor is presented. It is also shown that the ODFT processor can function as a real-time optical spectrum analyzer. The tunable ODFT has an important potential application as a tunable optical demultiplexer at the receiver end of an optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing transmission system.

Design of thermoelectrically highly efficient Heusler compounds using phase separations and nano-composites under an economic point of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balke, Benjamin

Half-Heusler (HH) compounds are one of the most promising candidates for thermoelectric materials for automotive and industrial waste heat recovery applications. In this talk, I will give an overview about our recent investigations of phase separations in HH thermoelectrics, focusing on the ternary system TiNiSn-ZrNiSn-HfNiSn. I will show how we adapted this knowledge to design a p-type HH compound which exhibits a ZT that is increased by 130% compared to the best published bulk p-type Heusler. I will also present how we used the phase separation to design thermoelectric highly efficient nano-composites of different single-phase materials. Since the price for Hafnium doubled within the last year, our research focused on the design of HH compounds without Hafnium. I will present a very recent calculation on ZT per Euro and efficiency per Euro for various materials followed by our latest very promising results for n-type Heusler compunds without Hafnium resulting in 20 times higher ZT/Euro values. These results strongly underline the importance of phase separations as a powerful tool for designing highly efficient materials for thermoelectric applications that fulfill the industrial demands for a thermoelectric converter. The author gratefully acknowledges financial support by the thermoHEUSLER2 Project (Project No. 19U15006F) of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi).

Thermoelectric properties of IV–VI-based heterostructures and superlattices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borges, P.D., E-mail: pabloborges@ufv.br; Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666; Petersen, J.E.

2015-07-15

Doping in a manner that introduces anisotropy in order to reduce thermal conductivity is a significant focus in thermoelectric research today. By solving the semiclassical Boltzmann transport equations in the constant scattering time (τ) approximation, in conjunction with ab initio electronic structure calculations, within Density Functional Theory, we compare the Seebeck coefficient (S) and figure of merit (ZT) of bulk PbTe to PbTe/SnTe/PbTe heterostructures and PbTe doping superlattices (SLs) with periodically doped planes. Bismuth and Thallium were used as the n- and p-type impurities, respectively. The effects of carrier concentration are considered via chemical potential variation in a rigid bandmore » approximation. The impurity bands near the Fermi level in the electronic structure of PbTe SLs are of Tl s- and Bi p-character, and this feature is independent of the doping concentration or the distance between impurity planes. We observe the impurity bands to have a metallic nature in the directions perpendicular to the doping planes, yet no improvement on the values of ZT is found when compared to bulk PbTe. For the PbTe/SnTe/PbTe heterostructures, the calculated S presents good agreement with recent experimental data, and an anisotropic behavior is observed for low carrier concentrations (n<10{sup 18} cm{sup −3}). A large value of ZT{sub ||} (parallel to the growth direction) of 3.0 is predicted for n=4.7×10{sup 18} cm{sup −3} and T=700 K, whereas ZT{sub p} (perpendicular to the growth direction) is found to peak at 1.5 for n=1.7×10{sup 17} cm{sup −3}. Both electrical conductivity enhancement and thermal conductivity reduction are analyzed. - Graphical abstract: Figure of merit for PbTe/SnTe/PbTe heterostructure along the [0 0 1] direction, P.D. Borges, J.E. Petersen, L. Scolfaro, H.W. Leite Alves, T.H. Myers, Improved thermoelectric properties of IV–VI-based heterostructures and superlattices. - Highlights: • Thermoelectric properties of IV–VI-based heterostructures and superlattices. • High figure of merit is predicted for the PbTe/SnTe/PbTe heterostructure. • Nanotechnology has an important role for the development of thermoelectric devices.« less

Promoting SnTe as an Eco-Friendly Solution for p-PbTe Thermoelectric via Band Convergence and Interstitial Defects.

PubMed

Li, Wen; Zheng, Linglang; Ge, Binghui; Lin, Siqi; Zhang, Xinyue; Chen, Zhiwei; Chang, Yunjie; Pei, Yanzhong

2017-05-01

Compared to commercially available p-type PbTe thermoelectrics, SnTe has a much bigger band offset between its two valence bands and a much higher lattice thermal conductivity, both of which limit its peak thermoelectric figure of merit, zT of only 0.4. Converging its valence bands or introducing resonant states is found to enhance the electronic properties, while nanostructuring or more recently introducing interstitial defects is found to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. Even with an integration of some of the strategies above, existing efforts do not enable a peak zT exceeding 1.4 and usually involve Cd or Hg. In this work, a combination of band convergence and interstitial defects, each of which enables a ≈150% increase in the peak zT, successfully accumulates the zT enhancements to be ≈300% (zT up to 1.6) without involving any toxic elements. This opens new possibilities for further improvements and promotes SnTe as an environment-friendly solution for conventional p-PbTe thermoelectrics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Graphene-based vdW heterostructure Induced High-efficiency Thermoelectric Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Shijun; Ang, Lay Kee

Thermoelectric material (TE) can convert the heat into electricity to provide green energy source and its performance is characterized by a figure of merit (ZT) parameter. Traditional TE materials only give ZT equal to around 1 at room temperature. But, it is believed that materials with ZT >3 will find wide applications at this low temperature range. Prior studies have implied that the interrelation between electric conductivity and lattice thermal conductivity renders the goal of engineering ZT of bulk materials to reach ZT >3. In this work, we propose a high-efficiency van del Waals (vdW) heterostructure-based thermionic device with graphene electrodes, which is able to harvest wasted heat (around 400K) based on the newly established thermionic emission law of graphene electrodes instead of Seebeck effect, to boost the efficiency of power generation over 10% around room temperature. The efficiency can be above 20% if the Schottky barrier height and cross-plane lattice thermal conductivity of transition metal dichacogenides (TMD) materials can be fine-engineered. As a refrigerator at 260 K, the efficiency is 50% to 80% of Carnot efficiency. Finally, we identify two TMD materials as the ideal candidates of graphene/TMD/graphene devices based on the state-of-art technology.

Thermoelectric properties of Si/CoSi2 sub-micrometer composites prepared by melt-spinning technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Jun; Ohishi, Yuji; Ichikawa, Satoshi; Muta, Hiroaki; Kurosaki, Ken; Yamanaka, Shinsuke

2017-05-01

We here report on the influence of CoSi2 precipitates on the thermoelectric properties of heavily doped p-type Si. A simple self-assembly process using a melt-spinning technique followed by spark plasma sintering is introduced to prepare bulk Si/CoSi2 composites with a nominal composition of (Si0.99B0.01)95Co5. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy observations present clear evidence of a sub-micrometer CoSi2 phase with a size ranging from 50 to 500 nm. These sub-micrometer precipitates resulted in a retention of the high electrical performance of heavily doped Si, while simultaneously reducing thermal conductivity by over 20% compared to a coarse CoSi2 phase (1-10 μm) in a comparative sample prepared by arc melting and spark plasma sintering. As a result, a figure of merit ZT value of 0.21 at 1073 K was achieved in the sub-micrometer Si/CoSi2, an increase of 16% compared with the ZT value for homogeneous p-type Si with a similar carrier concentration. This suggests that the self-assembled sub-micrometer inclusions effectively enhanced the thermoelectric performance of Si-based thermoelectric materials.

Characterization and analysis of thermoelectric transport using SPB model in nanostructured aluminum doped zinc tellurium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaskar, Ankam; Pai, Yi-Hsuan; Liu, Chia-Jyi

2017-11-01

Low-temperature electronic and thermal transport measurements are carried out on nanostructured Zn1-x Al x Te (0  ⩽  x  ⩽  0.15) fabricated using hydrothermal synthesis followed by evacuated-and-encapsulated sintering. A single parabolic band with acoustic phonon scattering is used to analyze thermoelectric transport data. It is found that reduced Fermi energy gets closer to the valence band edge and density of states effective mass, effective density of states, and Hall factor decrease with increasing x in doped samples. The chemical carrier concentration, carrier density independent mobility, β, and theoretical zT values increase with increasing x in doped samples. The nanostructured Zn1-x Al x Te exhibits significant reduction of thermal conductivity at 300 K (1.82-3.71 W m-1 K-1) as compared to bulk ZnTe (18 W m-1 K-1). The point-defect scattering and phonon-grain scattering play an important role in reducing the lattice thermal conductivity. In addition, partial substitution of Al3+ for Zn2+ significantly improves both the power factor and zT values.

Magnéli phases Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7} and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15} and their carbon nanocomposites via the thermal decomposition-precursor route

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conze, S., E-mail: susan.conze@ikts.fraunhofer.de; Veremchuk, I.; Reibold, M.

2015-09-15

A new synthetic approach for producing nano-powders of the Magnéli phases Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}, Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15} and their carbon nanocomposites by thermal decomposition-precursor route is proposed. The formation mechanism of the single-phase carbon nanocomposites (Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C) from metal–organic precursors is studied using FT-IR, elemental analysis, TG, STA-MS and others. The synthesis parameters and conditions were optimized to prepare the target oxides with the desired microstructure and physical properties. The electrical and transport properties of Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C are investigated. These nano-materials are n-type semiconductors with relatively low thermal conductivity inmore » contrast to the bulk species. The nanostructured carbon nanocomposites of Magnéli phases achieve a low thermal conductivity close to 1 W/m K at RT. The maximum ZT{sub 570} {sub °C} values are 0.04 for Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C powder nanocomposite and 0.01 for Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C bulk nanocomposite. - Graphical abstract: From the precursor to the produced titanium oxide pellet and its microstructure (SEM, TEM micrographs) as well as results of phase and thermoelectric analyses. - Highlights: • Magnéli phases Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15} via thermal decomposition-precursor route is proposed. • The formation mechanism of the nanocomposites Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C are investigated. • Microstructure of Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C are examined. • The electrical and transport properties of Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C are investigated. • The maximum figure of mertit ZT{sub 570} {sub °C} of Ti{sub 4}O{sub 7}/C and Ti{sub 8}O{sub 15}/C are 0.01 and 0.04.« less

Time of day influences the voluntary intake and behavioral response to methamphetamine and food reward.

PubMed

Keith, Diana R; Hart, Carl L; Robotham, Margaret; Tariq, Maliha; Le Sauter, Joseph; Silver, Rae

2013-09-01

The circadian timing system influences a vast array of behavioral responses. Substantial evidence indicates a role for the circadian system in regulating reward processing. Here we explore time of day effects on drug anticipation, locomotor activity, and voluntary methamphetamine (MA) and food intake in animals with ad libitum food access. We compared responses to drug versus a palatable treat during their normal sleep times in early day (zeitgeber time (ZT) 0400) or late day (ZT 1000). In the first study, using a between-subjects design, mice were given daily 1-h access to either peanut butter (PB-Alone) or to a low or high concentration of MA mixed in PB (MA+PB). In study 2, we repeated the experiment using a within-subjects design in which mice could choose between PB-Alone and MA+PB at either ZT 0400 or 1000. In study 3, the effects of MA-alone were investigated by evaluating anticipatory activity preceding exposure to nebulized MA at ZT 0400 vs. ZT 1000. Time of day effects were observed for both drug and palatable treat, such that in the between groups design, animals showed greater intake, anticipatory activity, and post-ingestional activity in the early day. Furthermore, there were differences among mice in the amount of MA ingested but individuals were self-consistent in their daily intake. The results for the within-subjects experiment also revealed robust individual differences in preference for MA+PB or PB-Alone. Interestingly, time of day effects on intake were observed only for the preferred substance. Anticipatory activity preceding administration of MA by nebulization was also greater at ZT 0400 than ZT 1000. Finally, pharmacokinetic response to MA administered intraperitoneally did not vary as a function of time of administration. The results indicate that time of day is an important variable mediating the voluntary intake and behavioral effects of reinforcers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associated production of the Z boson with a pair of top quarks in the left-right twin Higgs model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jinzhong; Yang, Bingfang; Zhang, Xiantu

2014-02-01

In the context of the left-right twin Higgs (LRTH) model, we first examine the effects on the Zt\\bar t production at the ILC and LHC. Our results show that the cross-sections can be significantly deviated from the standard model predictions and thus provide a good probe for the LRTH model. We also estimate the new production channel, Zt\\bar T or Z\\bar tT production, at the LHC. Compared with Zt \\bar t production, we find that the Z t \\bar T production can have a sizable production rate when the scale f is not too high. Considering the dominant decay mode T\\rightarrow\\phi^{+}b\\rightarrow tb\\bar b , we find that Z t\\bar T final state has less background than Zt\\bar t production and may likely be observable at the LHC.

Influence of pectins on the solubility and the molar mass distribution of dehydrogenative polymers (DHPs, lignin model compounds).

PubMed

Cathala, B; Monties, B

2001-07-19

Dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs, lignin model compounds) were synthesized in the presence of increasing pectin concentrations using two different methods. The first method ('Zutropfverfahren', ZT) consists in the slow adding of monomers whereas in the second method ('Zulaufverfahren', ZL) all the reactants are added simultaneously. DHPs solubility increases with the pectin concentration in the ZT experiments and remains stable in the ZL experiments. Covalent bonds between pectin and DHP are formed during ZT polymerization resulting in lignin carbohydrate complex (LCC) which keeps the unbound DHPs in solution by the formation of aggregate or micelle-like structures. In contrast LCC are not formed during the ZL process which behave like the DHP reference. The ZT DHP molar masses increase observed is attributed to the reactivity of the high molar mass polymer solubilized by the LCC whereas ZL higher molar mass polymers are precipitated out of the solution and cannot react further.

Thermoelectric transport properties in graphene connected molecular junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, S. T.; Grosu, I.; Crisan, M.; Ţifrea, I.

2018-02-01

We study the electronic contribution to the main thermoelectric properties of a molecular junction consisting of a single quantum dot coupled to graphene external leads. The system electrical conductivity (G), Seebeck coefficient (S), and the thermal conductivity (κ), are numerically calculated based on a Green's function formalism that includes contributions up to the Hartree-Fock level. We consider the system leads to be made either of pure or gapped-graphene. To describe the free electrons in the gapped-graphene electrodes we used two possible scenarios, the massive gap scenario, and the massless gap scenario, respectively. In all cases, the Fano effect is responsible for a strong violation of the Wiedemann-Franz law and we found a substantial increase of the system figure of merit ZT due to a drastic reduction of the system thermal coefficient. In the case of gapped-graphene electrodes, the system figure of merit presents a maximum at an optimal value of the energy gap of the order of Δ / D ∼ 0.002 (massive gap scenario) and Δ / D ∼ 0.0026 (massless gap scenario). Additionally, for all cases, the system figure of merit is temperature dependent.

Influence of Sodium Chloride Doping on Thermoelectric Properties of p-type SnSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shi Dan; Nutor, Raymond Kwesi; Chen, Zi Jie; Zheng, Hao; Wu, Hai Fei; Si, Jian Xiao

2017-11-01

We investigated the effect of NaCl doping on the thermoelectric properties of p-type Sn 1- x Na x SeCl x ( x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04) prepared by a method which combines rapid induction melting and rapid hot pressing. After introducing the NaCl into the SnSe system, the carrier concentration of SnSe is significantly increased from ˜4.55 × 1017 cm-3 to ˜3.95 × 1019 cm-3 at 300 K. An electrical conductivity of ˜102.5 S cm-1 was obtained at 473 K by addition of 2 mol.% NaCl. It was found that Cl was effective in reducing the thermal conductivity by inducing abundant defects. A maximum ZT value of 0.84 was achieved in the Na0.005Sn0.995SeCl0.005 sample at 810 K. This suggests that doping with NaCl is a facile and cost-effective method in optimizing the thermoelectric properties of SnSe materials.

Electron and phonon transport in Co-doped FeV0.6Nb0.4Sb half-Heusler thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Chenguang; Liu, Yintu; Xie, Hanhui; Liu, Xiaohua; Zhao, Xinbing; Jeffrey Snyder, G.; Xie, Jian; Zhu, Tiejun

2013-10-01

The electron and phonon transport characteristics of n-type Fe1-xCoxV0.6Nb0.4Sb half-Heusler thermoelectric compounds is analyzed. The acoustic phonon scattering is dominant in the carrier transport. The deformation potential of Edef = 14.1 eV and the density of state effective mass m* ≈ 2.0 me are derived under a single parabolic band assumption. The band gap is calculated to be ˜0.3 eV. Electron and phonon mean free paths are estimated based on the low and high temperature measurements. The electron mean free path is higher than the phonon one above room temperature, which is consistent with the experimental result that the electron mobility decreases more than the lattice thermal conductivity by grain refinement to enhance boundary scattering. A maximum ZT value of ˜0.33 is obtained at 650 K for x = 0.015, an increase by ˜60% compared with FeVSb. The optimal doping level is found to be ˜3.0 × 1020 cm-3 at 600 K.

Thermoelectric Properties of Complex Zintl Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, G. Jeffrey

2008-03-01

Complex Zintl phases make ideal thermoelectric materials because they can exhibit the necessary ``electron-crystal, phonon-glass'' properties required for high thermoelectric efficiency. Complex crystal structures can lead to high thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) by having extraordinarily low lattice thermal conductivity. A recent example is the discovery that Yb14MnSb11, a complex Zintl compound, has twice the zT as the SiGe based material currently in use at NASA. The high temperature (300K - 1300K) electronic properties of Yb14MnSb11 can be understood using models for heavily doped semiconductors. The free hole concentration, confirmed by Hall effect measurements, is set by the electron counting rules of Zintl and the valence of the transition metal (Mn^+2). Substitution of nonmagnetic Zn^+2 for the magnetic Mn^+2 reduces the spin-disorder scattering and leads to increased zT (10%). The reduction of spin-disorder scattering is consistent with the picture of Yb14MnSb11 as an underscreened Kondo lattice as derived from low temperature measurements. The hole concentration can be reduced by the substitution of Al^+3 for Mn^+2, which leads to an increase in the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity consistent with models for degenerate semiconductors. This leads to further improvements (about 25%) in zT and a reduction in the temperature where the zT peaks. The peak in zT is due to the onset of minority carrier conduction and can be correlated with reduction in Seebeck coefficient, increase in electrical conductivity and increase in thermal conductivity due to bipolar thermal conduction.

Use of zerotree coding in a high-speed pyramid image multiresolution decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vega-Pineda, Javier; Cabrera, Sergio D.; Lucero, Aldo

1995-03-01

A Zerotree (ZT) coding scheme is applied as a post-processing stage to avoid transmitting zero data in the High-Speed Pyramid (HSP) image compression algorithm. This algorithm has features that increase the capability of the ZT coding to give very high compression rates. In this paper the impact of the ZT coding scheme is analyzed and quantified. The HSP algorithm creates a discrete-time multiresolution analysis based on a hierarchical decomposition technique that is a subsampling pyramid. The filters used to create the image residues and expansions can be related to wavelet representations. According to the pixel coordinates and the level in the pyramid, N2 different wavelet basis functions of various sizes and rotations are linearly combined. The HSP algorithm is computationally efficient because of the simplicity of the required operations, and as a consequence, it can be very easily implemented with VLSI hardware. This is the HSP's principal advantage over other compression schemes. The ZT coding technique transforms the different quantized image residual levels created by the HSP algorithm into a bit stream. The use of ZT's compresses even further the already compressed image taking advantage of parent-child relationships (trees) between the pixels of the residue images at different levels of the pyramid. Zerotree coding uses the links between zeros along the hierarchical structure of the pyramid, to avoid transmission of those that form branches of all zeros. Compression performance and algorithm complexity of the combined HSP-ZT method are compared with those of the JPEG standard technique.

Thermoelectric Inhomogeneities in (Ag(sub 1-y)SbTe2)(sub x)(PbTe)(sub 1-x)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, G. Jeffrey; Chen, Nancy; Gascoin, Franck; Mueller, Eckhard; Karpinski, Gabriele; Stiewe, Christian

2006-01-01

A document presents a study of why materials of composition (Ag1 ySbTe2)0.05 (PbTe)0.95 [0< or = y < or = 1] were previously reported to have values of the thermoelectric figure of merit [ZT (where Z = alpha(sup 2)/rk, alpha is the Seebeck coefficient, r is electrical resistivity, k is thermal conductivity, and T is absolute temperature)] ranging from <1 to >2. In the study, samples of (AgSbTe2)0.05(PbTe)0.95, (Ag0.67SbTe2)0.05 (PbTe)0.95, and (Ag0.55SbTe2)0.05(PbTe)0.95 were prepared by melting followed, variously, by slow or rapid cooling. Analyses of these samples by x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and scanning-microprobe measurements of the Seebeck coefficient led to the conclusion that these materials have a multiphase character on a scale of the order of millimeters, even though they appear homogeneous in x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The Seebeck measurements showed significant variations, including both n-type and p-type behavior in the same sample. These variations were found to be consistent with observed variations of ZT. The rapidly quenched samples were found to be less inhomogeneous than were the furnace-cooled ones; hence, rapid quenching was suggested as a basis of research on synthesizing more nearly uniform high-ZT samples.

Tuning the Electrical and Thermal Conductivities of Thermoelectric Oxides through Impurity Doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres Arango, Maria A.

Waste heat and thermal gradients available at power plants can be harvested to power wireless networks and sensors by using thermoelectric (TE) generators that directly transform temperature differentials into electrical power. Oxide materials are promising for TE applications in harsh industrial environments for waste heat recovery at high temperatures in air, because they are lightweight, cheaply produced, highly efficient, and stable at high temperatures in air. Ca3Co4O9(CCO) with layered structure is a promising p-type thermoelectric oxide with extrapolated ZT value of 0.87 in single crystal form [1]. However the ZT values for the polycrystalline ceramics remain low of ˜0.1-0.3. In this research, nanostructure engineering approaches including doping and addition of nanoinclusions were applied to the polycrystalline CCO ceramic to improve the energy conversion efficiency. Polycrystalline CCO samples with various Bi doping levels were prepared through the sol-gel chemical route synthesis of powders, pressing and sintering of the pellets. Microstructure features of Bi doped ceramic bulk samples such as porosity, development of crystal texture, grain boundary dislocations and segregation of Bi dopants at various grain boundaries are investigated from microns to atomic scale. The results of the present study show that the Bi-doping is affecting both the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity simultaneously, and the optimum Bi doping level is strongly correlated with the microstructure and the processing conditions of the ceramic samples. At the optimum doping level and processing conditions of the ceramic samples, the Bi substitution of Ca results in the increase of the electrical conductivity, decrease of the thermal conductivity, and improvement of the crystal texture. The atomic resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) Z-contrast imaging and the chemistry analysis also reveal the Bi-segregation at grain boundaries of CCO polycrystalline samples. In order to further decrease the thermal conductivity and increase the overall energy conversion efficiency of ceramic samples. The highest ZT value obtained is 0.32 at 973K for Ca and Co site Bi doping. The effect of the nanoinclusions on the performance and the microstructure of CCO were investigated as well.

The influence of surface functionalization on thermal transport and thermoelectric properties of MXene monolayers.

PubMed

Sarikurt, Sevil; Çakır, Deniz; Keçeli, Murat; Sevik, Cem

2018-05-10

The newest members of a two-dimensional material family, involving transition metal carbides and nitrides (called MXenes), have garnered increasing attention due to their tunable electronic and thermal properties depending on the chemical composition and functionalization. This flexibility can be exploited to fabricate efficient electrochemical energy storage (batteries) and energy conversion (thermoelectric) devices. In this study, we calculated the Seebeck coefficients and lattice thermal conductivity values of oxygen terminated M2CO2 (where M = Ti, Zr, Hf, Sc) monolayer MXene crystals in two different functionalization configurations (model-II (MD-II) and model-III (MD-III)), using density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory. We estimated the thermoelectric figure-of-merit, zT, of these materials by two different approaches, as well. First of all, we found that the structural model (i.e. adsorption site of oxygen atom on the surface of MXene) has a paramount impact on the electronic and thermoelectric properties of MXene crystals, which can be exploited to engineer the thermoelectric properties of these materials. The lattice thermal conductivity κl, Seebeck coefficient and zT values may vary by 40% depending on the structural model. The MD-III configuration always has the larger band gap, Seebeck coefficient and zT, and smaller κl as compared to the MD-II structure due to a larger band gap, highly flat valence band and reduced crystal symmetry in the former. The MD-III configuration of Ti2CO2 and Zr2CO2 has the lowest κl as compared to the same configuration of Hf2CO2 and Sc2CO2. Among all the considered structures, the MD-II configuration of Hf2CO2 has the highest κl, and Ti2CO2 and Zr2CO2 in the MD-III configuration have the lowest κl. For instance, while the band gap of the MD-II configuration of Ti2CO2 is 0.26 eV, it becomes 0.69 eV in MD-III. The zTmax value may reach up to 1.1 depending on the structural model of MXene.

Power generation from nanostructured PbTe-based thermoelectrics: comprehensive development from materials to modules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Xiaokai; Jood, Priyanka; Ohta, Michihiro

2016-01-01

In this work, we demonstrate the use of high performance nanostructured PbTe-based materials in high conversion efficiency thermoelectric modules. We fabricated the samples of PbTe-2% MgTe doped with 4% Na and PbTe doped with 0.2% PbI2 with high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) and sintered them with Co-Fe diffusion barriers for use as p- and n-type thermoelectric legs, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy of the PbTe legs reveals two shapes of nanostructures, disk-like and spherical. The reduction in lattice thermal conductivity through nanostructuring gives a ZT of similar to 1.8 at 810 K for p-type PbTe and similar to 1.4 atmore » 750 K for n-type PbTe. Nanostructured PbTe-based module and segmented-leg module using Bi2Te3 and nanostructured PbTe were fabricated and tested with hot-side temperatures up to 873 K in a vacuum. The maximum conversion efficiency of similar to 8.8% for a temperature difference (Delta T) of 570 K and B11% for a Delta T of 590 K have been demonstrated in the nanostructured PbTe-based module and segmented Bi2Te3/nanostructured PbTe module, respectively. Three-dimensional finite-element simulations predict that the maximum conversion efficiency of the nanostructured PbTe-based module and segmented Bi2Te3/nanostructured PbTe module reaches 12.2% for a Delta T of 570 K and 15.6% for a Delta T of 590 K respectively, which could be achieved if the electrical and thermal contact between the nanostructured PbTe legs and Cu interconnecting electrodes is further improved.« less

An International Round-Robin Study, Part II: Thermal Diffusivity, Specific Heat and Thermal Conductivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Hsin; Porter, Wallace D; Bottner, Harold

2013-01-01

For bulk thermoelectrics, figure-of-merit, ZT, still needs to improve from the current value of 1.0 - 1.5 to above 2 to be competitive to other alternative technologies. In recent years, the most significant improvements in ZT were mainly due to successful reduction of thermal conductivity. However, thermal conductivity cannot be measured directly at high temperatures. The combined measurements of thermal diffusivity and specific heat and density are required. It has been shown that thermal conductivity is the property with the greatest uncertainty and has a direct influence on the accuracy of the figure of merit. The International Energy Agency (IEA)more » group under the implementing agreement for Advanced Materials for Transportation (AMT) has conducted two international round-robins since 2009. This paper is Part II of the international round-robin testing of transport properties of bulk bismuth telluride. The main focuses in Part II are on thermal diffusivity, specific heat and thermal conductivity.« less

Low temperature thermoelectric properties of hot pressed composite samples of CrSb2: evidence for possible phonon-drag effect.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokharel, Mani; Koirala, Machhindra; Ren, Zhifeng; Opeil, Cyril

We present on the thermoelectric transport properties of CrSb2 samples prepared by hot-press densification in the temperature range of 2 - 350 K. At around 10 K, the thermal conductivity of CrSb2 decreases dramatically by three orders of magnitude compared to the single crystal counterpart. Analysis shows that the reduced thermal conductivity results from increased scattering of the phonons off the grain-boundaries within the samples. A strong interrelationship between the thermal conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient is observed; indicating a significant presence of phonon-drag effect in this system. With ZT = 0.018 at 310 K for the sample hot pressed at 600 oC, an increase in ZT by 80 % over the previously reported values for polycrystalline samples is achieved. We gratefully acknowledge funding for this work by the Department of Defense, United States Air Force Office of Scientific Researchs MURI program under contract FA9550-10-1-0533.

Structural variations in indium tin tellurides and their thermoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neudert, Lukas; Schwarzmüller, Stefan; Schmitzer, Silvia; Schnick, Wolfgang; Oeckler, Oliver

2018-02-01

Indium-doped tin tellurides are promising and thoroughly investigated thermoelectric materials. Due to the low solubility of In2Te3 in SnTe and vice versa, samples with the nominal composition (SnTe)3-3x(In2Te3)x with 0.136 ≤ x ≤ 0.75 consist of a defect-rocksalt-type Sn-rich and a defect-sphalerite-type In-rich phase which are endotaxially intergrown and form nanoscale heterostructures. Such nanostructures are kinetically inert and become more pronounced with increasing overall In content. The vacancies often show short-range ordering. These phenomena are investigated by temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction and HRTEM as well as STEM with element mapping by X-ray spectroscopy. The combination of real-structure effects leads to very low lattice thermal conductivity from room temperature up to 500 °C. Thermoelectric figures of merit ZT of heterostructured materials with x = 0.136 reach ZT values up to 0.55 at 400 °C.

Band Degeneracy, Low Thermal Conductivity, and High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in SnTe-CaTe Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Rahal Al Orabi, R.; Mecholsky, N.; Hwang, J. P.; Kim, W.; Rhyee, J. S.; Wee, D.; Fornari, M.

Pure lead-free SnTe has limited thermoelectric potentials because of the low Seebeck coeffcients and the relatively large thermal conductivity. In this study, we provide experimental evidence and theoretical understanding that alloying SnTe with Ca greatly improves the transport properties leading to ZT of 1.35 at 873 K, the highest ZT value so far reported for singly doped SnTe materials. The introduction of Ca (0-9%) in SnTe induces multiple effects: (1) Ca replaces Sn and reduces the hole concentration due to Sn vacancies, (2) the energy gap increases limiting the bipolar transport, (3) several bands with larger effective masses become active in transport, and (4) the lattice thermal conductivity is reduced of about 70% due to the contribution of concomitant scattering terms associated with the alloy disorder and the presence of nanoscale precipitates. An effciency of 10% (for ΔT = 400 K) was predicted for high temperature thermoelectric power generation using SnTe-based n- and p-type materials.

Correlation between defect transition levels and thermoelectric operational temperature of doped CrSi2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Abhishek; Pandey, Tribhuwan

2014-03-01

The performance of a thermoelectric material is quantified by figure of merit ZT. The challenge in achieving high ZT value requires simultaneously high thermopower, high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity at optimal carrier concentration. So far doping is the most versatile approach used for modifying thermoelectric properties. Previous studies have shown that doping can significantly improve the thermoelectric performance, however the tuning the operating temperature of a thermoelectric device is a main issue. Using first principles density functional theory, we report for CrSi2, a linear relationship between thermodynamic charge state transition levels of defects and temperature at which thermopower peaks. We show for doped CrSi2 that the peak of thermopower occurs at the temperature Tm, which corresponds to the position of defect transition level. Therefore, by modifying the defect transition level, a thermoelectric material with a given operational temperature can be designed. The authors thankfully acknowledge support from ADA under NpMASS.

Contrastive thermoelectric properties of strained SnSe crystals from the first-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yu; Cheng, Feng; Li, Decong; Deng, Shuping; Chen, Zhong; Sun, Luqi; Liu, Wenting; Shen, Lanxian; Deng, Shukang

2018-06-01

SnSe is a promising thermoelectric material with a record high dimensionless figure of merit ZT at high temperature ∼923 K. However, the ZT values for low-Temperature Pnma phase SnSe are just 0.1-0.9. Here, we use First-principle combine with Boltzmann transport theory methods to study the effect of tensile and compressible strain on the thermoelectric transport properties. The power factor of SnSe with -4% strain have a large boost along b and c directions of 7.7 and 3.9 μW cm-1 K-2, respectively, which are 2.5 and 2 times as large as those pristine SnSe. The charge density distributions reveal that the overlap of wave function has significant change due to the changed bond lengths and bond angles under different strain, which lead to the change of band gap and band dispersion. Our work provides a new effective strategy to enhance the thermoelectric properties of materials.

Thermoelectric Properties of Electron-Doped SrMnO3 Single Crystals with Perovskite Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, T.; Sakai, H.; Taguchi, Y.; Tokura, Y.

2012-06-01

Thermoelectric properties have been investigated for single crystals of Sr(Mn1- x Mo x )O3 with the perovskite structure. Similar to (Sr1- x Ce x )MnO3, the Seebeck coefficient for lightly electron-doped compounds ( x ≤ 0.01) is enhanced upon G-type antiferromagnetic ordering, while maintaining metallic conduction. This results in enhancement of the figure of merit ( ZT). On the other hand, the Seebeck coefficient for the more electron-doped compound ( x = 0.025) changes sign from negative to positive within a spin and orbital ordered phase (with C-type antiferromagnetic configuration and Mn 3 z 2 - r 2 type orbital order) as the temperature is lowered, whereas the Hall coefficient remains negative in the whole temperature range. The enhancement of the ZT value in the G-type antiferromagnetic phase implies the possibility for improvement of the thermoelectric efficiency by using the coupling between charge, spin, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom in strongly correlated electron systems.

Influence of rare earth doping on thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Wang, C. L.; Li, Y.; Su, W. B.; Zhu, Y. H.; Li, J. C.; Mei, L. M.

2013-12-01

Thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3 ceramics, doped with different rare earth elements, were investigated in this work. It's found that the ionic radius of doping elements plays an important role on thermoelectric properties: SrTiO3 ceramics doped with large rare earth ions (such as La, Nd, and Sm) exhibit large power factors, and those doped with small ions (such as Gd, Dy, Er, and Y) exhibit low thermal conductivities. Therefore, a simple approach for enhancing the thermoelectric performance of SrTiO3 ceramics is proposed: mainly doped with large ions to obtain a large power factor and, simultaneously, slightly co-doped with small ions to obtain a low thermal conductivity. Based on this rule, Sr0.8La0.18Yb0.02TiO3 ceramics were prepared, whose ZT value at 1 023 K reaches 0.31, increasing by a factor of 19% compared with the single-doped counterpart Sr0.8La0.2TiO3 (ZT = 0.26).

High-accuracy direct ZT and intrinsic properties measurement of thermoelectric couple devices.

PubMed

Kraemer, D; Chen, G

2014-04-01

Advances in thermoelectric materials in recent years have led to significant improvements in thermoelectric device performance and thus, give rise to many new potential applications. In order to optimize a thermoelectric device for specific applications and to accurately predict its performance ideally the material's figure of merit ZT as well as the individual intrinsic properties (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity) should be known with high accuracy. For that matter, we developed two experimental methods in which the first directly obtains the ZT and the second directly measures the individual intrinsic leg properties of the same p/n-type thermoelectric couple device. This has the advantage that all material properties are measured in the same sample direction after the thermoelectric legs have been mounted in the final device. Therefore, possible effects from crystal anisotropy and from the device fabrication process are accounted for. The Seebeck coefficients, electrical resistivities, and thermal conductivities are measured with differential methods to minimize measurement uncertainties to below 3%. The thermoelectric couple ZT is directly measured with a differential Harman method which is in excellent agreement with the calculated ZT from the individual leg properties. The errors in both the directly measured and calculated thermoelectric couple ZT are below 5% which is significantly lower than typical uncertainties using commercial methods. Thus, the developed technique is ideal for characterizing assembled couple devices and individual thermoelectric materials and enables accurate device optimization and performance predictions. We demonstrate the methods by measuring a p/n-type thermoelectric couple device assembled from commercial bulk thermoelectric Bi2Te3 elements in the temperature range of 30 °C-150 °C and discuss the performance of the couple thermoelectric generator in terms of its efficiency and materials' self-compatibility.

Time-of-Day Dependent Neuronal Injury After Ischemic Stroke: Implication of Circadian Clock Transcriptional Factor Bmal1 and Survival Kinase AKT.

PubMed

Beker, Mustafa Caglar; Caglayan, Berrak; Yalcin, Esra; Caglayan, Ahmet Burak; Turkseven, Seyma; Gurel, Busra; Kelestemur, Taha; Sertel, Elif; Sahin, Zafer; Kutlu, Selim; Kilic, Ulkan; Baykal, Ahmet Tarik; Kilic, Ertugrul

2018-03-01

Occurrence of stroke cases displays a time-of-day variation in human. However, the mechanism linking circadian rhythm to the internal response mechanisms against pathophysiological events after ischemic stroke remained largely unknown. To this end, temporal changes in the susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury were investigated in mice in which the ischemic stroke induced at four different Zeitgeber time points with 6-h intervals (ZT0, ZT6, ZT12, and ZT18). Besides infarct volume and brain swelling, neuronal survival, apoptosis, ischemia, and circadian rhythm related proteins were examined using immunohistochemistry, Western blot, planar surface immune assay, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry tools. Here, we present evidence that midnight (ZT18; 24:00) I/R injury in mice resulted in significantly improved infarct volume, brain swelling, neurological deficit score, neuronal survival, and decreased apoptotic cell death compared with ischemia induced at other time points, which were associated with increased expressions of circadian proteins Bmal1, PerI, and Clock proteins and survival kinases AKT and Erk-1/2. Moreover, ribosomal protein S6, mTOR, and Bad were also significantly increased, while the levels of PRAS40, negative regulator of AKT and mTOR, and phosphorylated p53 were decreased at this time point compared to ZT0 (06:00). Furthermore, detailed proteomic analysis revealed significantly decreased CSKP, HBB-1/2, and HBA levels, while increased GNAZ, NEGR1, IMPCT, and PDE1B at midnight as compared with early morning. Our results indicate that nighttime I/R injury results in less severe neuronal damage, with increased neuronal survival, increased levels of survival kinases and circadian clock proteins, and also alters the circadian-related proteins.

Correlation between processing conditions, microstructure and charge transport in half-Heusler alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makongo, Julien P.A.; Zhou, Xiaoyuan; Misra, Dinesh K.

2013-05-01

Five bulk samples of n-type Zr₀.₂₅Hf₀.₇₅NiSn₀.₉₇₅Sb₀.₀₂₅ half-Heusler (HH) alloy were fabricated by reacting elemental powders via (1) high temperature solid state (SS) reaction and (2) mechanical alloying (MA), followed by densification using spark plasma sintering (SPS) and/or hot pressing (HP). A portion of the sample obtained by SS reaction was mechanically alloyed before consolidation by hot pressing (SS–MA–HP). X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies revealed that all SS specimen (SS–SPS, SS–HP, SS–MA–HP) are single phase HH alloys, whereas the MA sample (MA–SPS) contains metallic nanoprecipitates. Electronic and thermal transport measurements showed that the embedded nanoprecipitates induce a drasticmore » increase in the carrier concentration (n), a large decrease in the Seebeck coefficient (S) and a marginal decrease in the lattice thermal conductivity (κ l) of the MA–SPS sample leading to lower ZT values when compared to the SS–HP samples. Constant values of S are observed for the SS series regardless of the processing method. However, a strong dependence of the carrier mobility (μ), electrical conductivity (σ) and κ l on the processing and consolidation method is observed. For instance, mechanical alloying introduces additional structural defects which enhance electron and phonon scattering leading to moderately low values of μ and large reduction in κ l. This results in a net 20% enhancement in the figure of merit (ZT=0.6 at 775 K). HH specimen of the same nominal composition with higher ZT is anticipated from a combination of SS reaction, MA and SPS (SS–MA–SPS). - Graphical abstract: In half-Heusler alloys, thermopower values are insensitive to processing method, whereas carrier mobility (μ), electrical conductivity (σ), and κ l strongly dependent on the microstructure which in turn is altered by the synthesis, processing and consolidation method. Highlights: • Phase composition of HH alloy strongly depends on the synthesis technique. • Mechanical alloying of elements yields bulk HH alloy with metallic impurity phases. • Thermopower, carrier density, and effective mass of HHs are insensitive to processing conditions. • Mechanical alloying decreases the carrier mobility and lattice thermal conductivity of bulk HH.« less

A supercell approach to the doping effect on the thermoelectric properties of SnSe.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yasumitsu; Nakamura, Hisao

2015-11-28

We study the thermoelectric properties of tin selenide (SnSe) by using first-principles calculations coupled with the Boltzmann transport theory. A recent experimental study showed that SnSe gives an unprecedented thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of 2.6 ± 0.3 in the high-temperature (>750 K) phase, while ZT in the low-temperature phase (<750 K) is much smaller than that of the high-temperature phase. Here we explore the possibility of increasing ZT in the low-temperature regime by carrier doping. For this purpose, we adopt a supercell approach to model the doped systems. We first examine the validity of the conventional rigid-band approximation (RBA), and then investigate the thermoelectric properties of Ag or Bi doped SnSe as p- or n-type doped materials using our supercell method. We found that both types of doping improve ZT and/or the power factor of the low-temperature phase SnSe, but only after the adjustment of the appropriate doping level is achieved.

Diurnal influences on electrophysiological oscillations and coupling in the dorsal striatum and cerebellar cortex of the anesthetized rat

PubMed Central

Frederick, Ariana; Bourget-Murray, Jonathan; Chapman, C. Andrew; Amir, Shimon; Courtemanche, Richard

2014-01-01

Circadian rhythms modulate behavioral processes over a 24 h period through clock gene expression. What is largely unknown is how these molecular influences shape neural activity in different brain areas. The clock gene Per2 is rhythmically expressed in the striatum and the cerebellum and its expression is linked with daily fluctuations in extracellular dopamine levels and D2 receptor activity. Electrophysiologically, dopamine depletion enhances striatal local field potential (LFP) oscillations. We investigated if LFP oscillations and synchrony were influenced by time of day, potentially via dopamine mechanisms. To assess the presence of a diurnal effect, oscillatory power and coherence were examined in the striatum and cerebellum of rats under urethane anesthesia at four different times of day zeitgeber time (ZT1, 7, 13 and 19—indicating number of hours after lights turned on in a 12:12 h light-dark cycle). We also investigated the diurnal response to systemic raclopride, a D2 receptor antagonist. Time of day affected the proportion of LFP oscillations within the 0–3 Hz band and the 3–8 Hz band. In both the striatum and the cerebellum, slow oscillations were strongest at ZT1 and weakest at ZT13. A 3–8 Hz oscillation was present when the slow oscillation was lowest, with peak 3–8 Hz activity occurring at ZT13. Raclopride enhanced the slow oscillations, and had the greatest effect at ZT13. Within the striatum and with the cerebellum, 0–3 Hz coherence was greatest at ZT1, when the slow oscillations were strongest. Coherence was also affected the most by raclopride at ZT13. Our results suggest that neural oscillations in the cerebellum and striatum, and the synchrony between these areas, are modulated by time of day, and that these changes are influenced by dopamine manipulation. This may provide insight into how circadian gene transcription patterns influence network electrophysiology. Future experiments will address how these network alterations are linked with behavior. PMID:25309348

Half-Heusler (TiZrHf)NiSn Unileg Module with High Powder Density.

PubMed

Populoh, Sascha; Brunko, Oliver C; Gałązka, Krzysztof; Xie, Wenjie; Weidenkaff, Anke

2013-03-27

(TiZrHf)NiSn half-Heusler compounds were prepared by arc melting and their thermoelectric properties characterized in the temperature range between 325 K and 857 K, resulting in a Figure of Merit ZT ≈ 0.45. Furthermore, the prepared samples were used to construct a unileg module. This module was characterized in a homemade thermoelectric module measurement stand and yielded 275 mW/cm² and a maximum volumetric power density of 700 mW/cm³. This was reached using normal silver paint as a contacting material; from an improved contacting, much higher power yields are to be expected.

Half-Heusler (TiZrHf)NiSn Unileg Module with High Powder Density

PubMed Central

Populoh, Sascha; Brunko, Oliver C.; Gałązka, Krzysztof; Xie, Wenjie; Weidenkaff, Anke

2013-01-01

(TiZrHf)NiSn half-Heusler compounds were prepared by arc melting and their thermoelectric properties characterized in the temperature range between 325 K and 857 K, resulting in a Figure of Merit ZT ≈ 0.45. Furthermore, the prepared samples were used to construct a unileg module. This module was characterized in a homemade thermoelectric module measurement stand and yielded 275 mW/cm2 and a maximum volumetric power density of 700 mW/cm3. This was reached using normal silver paint as a contacting material; from an improved contacting, much higher power yields are to be expected. PMID:28809212

Control of Heat and Charge Transport in Nanostructured Hybrid Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-21

measurements in our groups have yielded device ZT values of 0.4 on thermoelectric modules consisting of vertically oriented silicon nanowires . This is... nanowires with aspect ratio’s exceeding 10,000. Temperature differences as high as 800 °C are achievable for both types. The bulk nanostructured...thermal conductivity of the silicon nanostructures. Specifically, experiments on an array of 20 nm diameter vertically oriented silicon nanowires have

Thermoelectric heat exchange element

DOEpatents

Callas, James J.; Taher, Mahmoud A.

2007-08-14

A thermoelectric heat exchange module includes a first substrate including a heat receptive side and a heat donative side and a series of undulatory pleats. The module may also include a thermoelectric material layer having a ZT value of 1.0 or more disposed on at least one of the heat receptive side and the heat donative side, and an electrical contact may be in electrical communication with the thermoelectric material layer.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of n-type Bi2O2Se Ceramics Induced by Ge Doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruleova, P.; Plechacek, T.; Kasparova, J.; Vlcek, M.; Benes, L.; Lostak, P.; Drasar, C.

2018-02-01

Ceramic samples with the composition Bi2- x Ge x O2Se1.01 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1) were synthesized by solid-state reaction and compacted using a hot-pressing technique. The prepared materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction analysis, electron microscopy, and measurements of electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and thermal conductivity in the temperature range 300-780 K. Ge in the Bi2O2Se host structure led to an increase of the free electron concentration compared to pristine Bi2O2Se1.01. The donor effect is attributed to point substitutional defects in the Bi sublattice— {Ge}_{{Bi}}^{ + }, and oxygen vacancies {V}_{{O}}^{ + 2} producing free electrons. As a result, we observe an increase in the electrical conductivity and decrease in Seebeck coefficient while thermal conductivity κ changes slightly. The highest value of the dimensionless figure of merit ZT = σS 2 T/ κ reaches 0.25 for the composition Bi1.95Ge0.05O2Se1.01 at T = 723 K, which is, to date, the highest ZT value reported for Bi2O2Se ceramics. Our results suggest that Bi2O2Se is still worth exploring.

Bezafibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors agonist, decreases body temperature and enhances electroencephalogram delta-oscillation during sleep in mice.

PubMed

Chikahisa, Sachiko; Tominaga, Kumiko; Kawai, Tomoko; Kitaoka, Kazuyoshi; Oishi, Katsutaka; Ishida, Norio; Rokutan, Kazuhito; Séi, Hiroyoshi

2008-10-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors belonging to the nuclear receptor family. PPARs play a critical role in lipid and glucose metabolism. We examined whether chronic treatment with bezafibrate, a PPAR agonist, would alter sleep and body temperature (BT). Mice fed with a control diet were monitored for BT, electroencephalogram (EEG), and electromyogram for 48 h under light-dark conditions. After obtaining the baseline recording, the mice were provided with bezafibrate-supplemented food for 2 wk, after which the same recordings were performed. Two-week feeding of bezafibrate decreased BT, especially during the latter half of the dark period. BT rhythm and sleep/wake rhythm were phase advanced about 2-3 h by bezafibrate treatment. Bezafibrate treatment also increased the EEG delta-power in nonrapid eye movement sleep compared with the control diet attenuating its daily amplitude. Furthermore, bezafibrate-treated mice showed no rebound of EEG delta-power in nonrapid eye movement sleep after 6 h sleep deprivation, whereas values in control mice largely increased relative to baseline. DNA microarray, and real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that bezafibrate treatment increased levels of Neuropeptide Y mRNA in the hypothalamus at both Zeitgeber time (ZT) 10 and ZT22, and decreased proopiomelanocortin-alpha mRNA in the hypothalamus at ZT10. These findings demonstrate that PPARs participate in the control of both BT and sleep regulation, which accompanied changes in gene expression in the hypothalamus. Activation of PPARs may enhance deep sleep and improve resistance to sleep loss.

Impact of microstructure on the thermoelectric properties of the ternary compound Ce{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}Sb{sub 4}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witas, Piotr, E-mail: pwitas@us.edu.pl

We present detailed structural and thermoelectric studies of the ternary compound Ce{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}Sb{sub 4}. This material is of interest due to previously reported considerable thermopower above room temperature (∼ 100 μV/K) and low thermal conductivity (2 W/(m K)). Here, we present detailed studies concerning microstructural and thermoelectric data, their variation across the samples and possible explanations for the observed behaviour. We have used X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for microstructural analysis. The thermoelectric properties were examined using a physical property measurement system (PPMS). We analyse the impact of the sample qualitymore » on the thermoelectric properties. The most unstable parameter is the material resistivity which varies between 1.5 and 15 mΩ cm at room temperature. The properties variability is mainly due to structural defects caused by stresses during material preparation and also due to formation of foreign phases CeCuSb{sub 2} and CeSb. The figure of merit ZT is also strongly dependent on the quality of the sample. The largest value ZT ≈ 0.15 at 400 K is determined for the almost stoichiometric sample with small amounts of a impurity phases. - Highlights: •The Ce{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}Sb{sub 4} has considerable thermoelectric properties and potential for further chemical and/or structural modification. •The control over foreign phases formation is challenging. •The defects arising during arc melting process highly deteriorate ZT of material.« less

Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity of conventional and conservation agriculture system in rainfed semi arid tropics of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratibha, G.; Srinivas, I.; Rao, K. V.; Shanker, Arun K.; Raju, B. M. K.; Choudhary, Deepak K.; Srinivas Rao, K.; Srinivasarao, Ch.; Maheswari, M.

2016-11-01

Agriculture has been considered as one of the contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and it continues to increase with increase in crop production. Hence development of sustainable agro techniques with maximum crop production, and low global warming potential is need of the hour. Quantifying net global warming potential (NGWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of an agricultural activity is a method to assess the mitigation potential of the activity. But there is dearth of information on NGWP of conservation agriculture under rainfed conditions. Hence in this study two methods such as crop based (NGWPcrop) and soil based (NGWPsoil) were estimated from the data of the experiment initiated in 2009 in rainfed semiarid regions of Hyderabad, India with different tillage practices like conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), zero tillage (ZT) and residue retention levels by harvesting at different heights which includes 0, 10 and 30 cm anchored residue in pigeonpea-castor systems. The results of the study revealed that under rainfed conditions CT recorded 24% higher yields over ZT, but CT and RT were on par with each other. However, the yield gap between the tillage treatments is narrowing down over 5 years of study. ZT and RT recorded 26 and 11% lower indirect GHG emissions (emissions from farm operations and input use) over CT, respectively. The percent contribution of CO2 eq. N2O emission is higher to total GHG emissions in both the crops. Both NGWPcrop, NGWPsoil, GHGIcrop, and GHGIsoil based were influenced by tillage and residue treatments. Further, castor grown on pigeonpea residue recorded 20% higher GHG emissions over pigeonpea grown on castor residues. The fuel consumption in ZT was reduced by 58% and 81% as compared to CT in pigeonpea and castor, respectively. Lower NGWP and GHGI based on crop and soil was observed with increase in crop residues and decrease in tillage intensity in both the crops. The results of the study indicate that, there is scope to reduce the NGWP emissions by reducing one tillage operation as in RT and increase in crop residue by harvesting at 10 and 30 cm height with minimal impact on the crop yields. However, the trade-off between higher yield and soil health versus GHG emissions should be considered while promoting conservation agriculture. The NGWPcrop estimation method indicated considerable benefits of residues to the soil and higher potential of GHG mitigation than by the NGWPsoil method and may overestimate the potential of GHG mitigation in agriculture system.

Potential impact of ZT = 4 thermoelectric materials on solar thermal energy conversion technologies.

PubMed

Xie, Ming; Gruen, Dieter M

2010-11-18

State-of-the-art methodologies for the conversion of solar thermal power to electricity are based on conventional electromagnetic induction techniques. If appropriate ZT = 4 thermoelectric materials were available, it is likely that conversion efficiencies of 30-40% could be achieved. The availability of all solid state electricity generation would be a long awaited development in part because of the elimination of moving parts. This paper presents a preliminary examination of the potential performance of ZT = 4 power generators in comparison with Stirling engines taking into account specific mass, volume and cost as well as system reliability. High-performance thermoelectrics appear to have distinct advantages over magnetic induction technologies.

New evaluation parameter for wearable thermoelectric generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijethunge, Dimuthu; Kim, Woochul

2018-04-01

Wearable devices constitute a key application area for thermoelectric devices. However, owing to new constraints in wearable applications, a few conventional device optimization techniques are not appropriate and material evaluation parameters, such as figure of merit (zT) and power factor (PF), tend to be inadequate. We illustrated the incompleteness of zT and PF by performing simulations and considering different thermoelectric materials. The results indicate a weak correlation between device performance and zT and PF. In this study, we propose a new evaluation parameter, zTwearable, which is better suited for wearable applications compared to conventional zT. Owing to size restrictions, gap filler based device optimization is extremely critical in wearable devices. With respect to the occasions in which gap fillers are used, expressions for power, effective thermal conductivity (keff), and optimum load electrical ratio (mopt) are derived. According to the new parameters, the thermal conductivity of the material has become much more critical now. The proposed new evaluation parameter, namely, zTwearable, is extremely useful in the selection of an appropriate thermoelectric material among various candidates prior to the commencement of the actual design process.

Aberrant rhythmic expression of cryptochrome2 regulates the radiosensitivity of rat gliomas.

PubMed

Fan, Wang; Caiyan, Li; Ling, Zhu; Jiayun, Zhao

2017-09-29

In this study, we investigated the role of the clock regulatory protein cryptochrome 2 (Cry2) in determining the radiosensitivity of C6 glioma cells in a rat model. We observed that Cry2 mRNA and protein levels showed aberrant rhythmic periodicity of 8 h in glioma tissues, compared to 24 h in normal brain tissue. Cry2 mRNA and protein levels did not respond to irradiation in normal tissues, but both were increased at the ZT4 (low Cry2) and ZT8 (high Cry2) time points in gliomas. Immunohistochemical staining of PCNA and TUNEL assays demonstrated that high Cry2 expression in glioma tissues was associated with increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. Western blot analysis showed that glioma cell fate was independent of p53, but was probably dependent on p73, which was more highly expressed at ZT4 (low Cry2) than at ZT8 (high Cry2). Levels of both p53 and p73 were unaffected by irradiation in normal brain tissues. These findings suggest aberrant rhythmic expression of Cry2 influence on radiosensitivity in rat gliomas.

Monoclonal antibody Zt/g4 targeting RON receptor tyrosine kinase enhances chemosensitivity of bladder cancer cells to Epirubicin by promoting G1/S arrest and apoptosis.

PubMed

Chen, Jun-Feng; Yu, Bi-Xia; Yu, Rui; Ma, Liang; Lv, Xiu-Yi; Cheng, Yue; Ma, Qi

2017-02-01

Epirubicin (EPI) is one of the most used intravesical chemotherapy agents after transurethral resection to non-muscle invasive bladder tumors (NMIBC) to prevent cancer recurrence and progression. However, even after resection of bladder tumors and intravesical chemotherapy, half of them will recur and progress. RON is a membrane tyrosine kinase receptor usually overexpressed in bladder cancer cells and associated with poor pathological features. This study aims to investigate the effects of anti-RON monoclonal antibody Zt/g4 on the chemosensitivity of bladder cells to EPI. After Zt/g4 treatment, cell cytotoxicity was significantly increased and cell invasion was markedly suppressed in EPI-treated bladder cancer cells. Further investigation indicated that combing Zt/g4 with EPI promoted cell G1/S-phase arrest and apoptosis, which are the potential mechanisms that RON signaling inhibition enhances chemosensitivity of EPI. Thus, combing antibody-based RON targeted therapy enhances the therapeutic effects of intravesical chemotherapy, which provides new strategy for further improvement of NMIBC patient outcomes.

Fabrication of Titanium Oxide-Based Composites by Reactive SPS Sintering and Their Thermoelectric Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuda, K.; Shoji, T.; Kikuchi, S.; Kunihiro, Y.; Sugiyama, S.

2013-07-01

Titanium oxide-based composites containing (1) Nb, (2) Nb and Sr, and (3) Sr and La were fabricated by a combination of wet processing and reactive spark plasma sintering in which the metal oxide components were reduced by reaction with titanium nitride. If only TiO2 was used as the starting material, several Magneli-type phases of oxygen-deficient titanium oxides were obtained. When mixed with Nb ions with Ti:Nb = 0.9:0.1, microsegregation of Nb ions was observed (case 1). If Sr was added, a perovskite, SrTiO3 (STO) phase occurred (case 2), which contained La ions in the case of La addition (case 3). The sintered compacts consisted largely of grains of about 1 μm in size. In the case of Ti-Nb combination (case 1), a unique stripe pattern also appeared inside the grains. The electrical conductivity increased monotonically with increasing temperature in the case of the pure Magneli phases and the Nb-containing composite, whereas bow-shaped temperature dependences with a maximum were observed in the case of the composites containing STO phases. The Seebeck coefficients were commonly negative, and the absolute values increased with temperature. The thermal conductivity was between 2 W m-1 K-1 and 4 W m-1 K-1 in the temperature range from room temperature to 800°C. A maximum ZT of 0.34 was achieved at 800°C (case 2).

Food-induced reinforcement is abrogated by the genetic deletion of the MT1 or MT2 melatonin receptor in C3H/HeN mice.

PubMed

Clough, Shannon J; Hudson, Randall L; Dubocovich, Margarita L

2018-05-02

Palatable food is known for its ability to enhance reinforcing responses. Studies have suggested a circadian variation in both drug and natural reinforcement, with each following its own time course. The goal of this study was to determine the role of the MT 1 and MT 2 melatonin receptors in palatable snack food-induced reinforcement, as measured by the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm during the light and dark phases. C3H/HeN wild-type mice were trained for snack food-induced CPP at either ZT 6 - 8 (ZT: Zeitgeber time; ZT 0 = lights on), when endogenous melatonin levels are low, or ZT 19 - 21, when melatonin levels are high. These time points also correspond to the high and low points for expression of the circadian gene Period1, respectively. The amount of snack food (chow, Cheetos®, Froot Loops® and Oreos®) consumed was of similar magnitude at both times, however only C3H/HeN mice conditioned to snack food at ZT 6 - 8 developed a place preference. C3H/HeN mice with a genetic deletion of either the MT 1 (MT 1 KO) or MT 2 (MT 2 KO) receptor tested at ZT 6 - 8 did not develop a place preference for snack food. Although the MT 2 KO mice showed a similar amount of snack food consumed when compared to wild-type mice, the MT 1 KO mice consumed significantly less than either genotype. We conclude that in our mouse model snack food-induced CPP is dependent on time of day and the presence of the MT 1 or MT 2 receptors, suggesting a role for melatonin and its receptors in snack food-induced reinforcement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Zr61Ti2Cu25Al12 metallic glass for potential use in dental implants: biocompatibility assessment by in vitro cellular responses.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Shi, Ling-ling; Zhu, Zhen-dong; He, Qiang; Ai, Hong-jun; Xu, Jian

2013-05-01

In comparison with titanium and its alloys, Zr61Ti2Cu25Al12 (ZT1) bulk metallic glass (BMG) manifests a good combination of high strength, high fracture toughness and lower Young's modulus. To examine its biocompatibility required for potential use in dental implants, this BMG was used as a cell growth subtract for three types of cell lines, L929 fibroblasts, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), and osteoblast-like MG63 cells. For a comparison, these cell lines were in parallel cultured and grown also on commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and Ti6-Al4-V alloy (Ti64). Cellular responses on the three metals, including adhesion, morphology and viability, were characterized using the SEM visualization and CCK-8 assay. Furthermore, real-time RT-PCR was used to measure the activity of integrin β, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and type I collagen (COL I) in adherent MG63 cells. As indicated, in all cases of three cell lines, no significant differences in the initial attachment and viability/proliferation were found between ZT1, CP-Ti, and Ti64 until 5d of incubation period. It means that the biocompatibility in cellular response for ZT1 BMG is comparable to Ti and its alloys. For gene expression of integrin β, ALP and COL I, mRNA level from osteoblast cells grown on ZT1 substrates is significantly higher than that on the CP-Ti and Ti64. It suggests that the adhesion and differentiation of osteoblasts grown on ZT1 are even superior to those on the CP-Ti and Ti64 alloy, then promoting bone formation. The good biocompatibility of ZT1 BMG is associated with the formation of zirconium oxide layer on the surface and good corrosion-resistance in physiological environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Variable Reluctance Transducer/Carrier Amplifier Method of Measuring Low Pneumatic Pressures in Aerodynamic and Propulsion Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

in ZT position, adjust Rx and VT to give the following conditions simul taneously: a) Vc to be specifiied value * RMS Volts. b) VRX Vz. 3. Record: RX...conditions simultaneously: a) V to be specified value as before.c b) VRX Vc. 2. Record: Rx = Q_ ; VT = ; VR =Vc (Volts). C. CALCULATE VOLTAGE AND...2 _V2 cos 8 = cos (180-,) = VRX V2 . VT 2VRX* V Z =R (cos + isino) = Rz + JWTLZ (OHMS) VT x10 (MILLIAMPERES) E(Rx+Rz)2 + LZ2 󈧏 2 • =TLz COIL "Q

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Hyo-Seob; Ames Lab., Ames, IA; Dharmaiah, Peyala

(GeTe) x(AgSbTe 2) 100$-$x: TAGS thermoelectrics are an attractive class of materials due to their combination of non-toxicity and good conversion efficiency at mid-temperature ranges. Here in the present work, we have utilized energy and time efficient high-pressure gas atomization and spark-plasma sintering techniques for large-scale preparation of samples with varying composition (i.e., (GeTe) x(AgSbTe 2) 100$-$x where x = 75, 80, 85, and 90). High-temperature x-ray diffraction was used to understand the phase transformation mechanism of the as-atomized powders. Detailed high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of the sintered samples revealed the presence of nanoscale precipitates, antiphase, and twin boundaries. Themore » nanoscale twins and antiphase boundaries serve as phonon scattering centers, leading to the reduction of total thermal conductivity in TAGS-80 and 90 samples. The maximum ZT obtained was 1.56 at 623 K for TAGS-90, which was ~94% improvement compared to values previously reported. The presence of the twin boundaries also resulted in a high fracture toughness (K IC) of the TAGS-90 sample due to inhibition of dislocation movement at the twin boundary.« less

Solvent-Based Synthesis of Nano-Bi0.85Sb0.15 for Low-Temperature Thermoelectric Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaspar, K.; Fritsch, K.; Habicht, K.; Willenberg, B.; Hillebrecht, H.

2017-01-01

In this study we show a preparation method for nanostructured Bi0.85Sb0.15 powders via a chemical reduction route in a polyol medium, yielding material with particle sizes of 20-150 nm in scalable amounts. The powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) in order to maintain the nanostructure. To investigate influence of the sinter process, the powders were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements before and after SPS. Transport properties, Seebeck effect, and thermal conductivity were determined in the low temperature range below 300 K. The samples showed excellent thermal conductivity of 2.3-2.6 W/m × K at 300 K and Seebeck coefficients from -97 μV/K to -107 μV/K at 300 K with a maximum of -141 μV/K at 110 K, thus leading to ZT values of up to 0.31 at room temperature. The results show that Bi-Sb-alloys are promising materials for low-temperature applications. Our wet chemical approach gives access to scalable amounts of nano-material with increased homogeneity and good thermoelectric properties after SPS.

Thermoelectric SnS and SnS-SnSe solid solutions prepared by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering: Anisotropic thermoelectric properties

PubMed Central

Asfandiyar; Wei, Tian-Ran; Li, Zhiliang; Sun, Fu-Hua; Pan, Yu; Wu, Chao-Feng; Farooq, Muhammad Umer; Tang, Huaichao; Li, Fu; Li, Bo; Li, Jing-Feng

2017-01-01

P–type SnS compound and SnS1−xSex solid solutions were prepared by mechanical alloying followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and their thermoelectric properties were then studied in different compositions (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8) along the directions parallel (//) and perpendicular (⊥) to the SPS–pressurizing direction in the temperature range 323–823 Κ. SnS compound and SnS1−xSex solid solutions exhibited anisotropic thermoelectric performance and showed higher power factor and thermal conductivity along the direction ⊥ than the // one. The thermal conductivity decreased with increasing contents of Se and fell to 0.36 W m−1 K−1 at 823 K for the composition SnS0.5Se0.5. With increasing selenium content (x) the formation of solid solutions substantially improved the electrical conductivity due to the increased carrier concentration. Hence, the optimized power factor and reduced thermal conductivity resulted in a maximum ZT value of 0.64 at 823 K for SnS0.2Se0.8 along the parallel direction. PMID:28240324

Thermoelectric properties and thermal stability of Bi-doped PbTe single crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhong; Li, Decong; Deng, Shuping; Tang, Yu; Sun, Luqi; Liu, Wenting; Shen, Lanxian; Yang, Peizhi; Deng, Shukang

2018-06-01

In this study, n-type Bi-doped single-crystal PbTe thermoelectric materials were prepared by melting and slow cooling method according to the stoichiometric ratio of Pb:Bi:Te = 1-x:x:1 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25). The X-ray diffraction patterns of Pb1-xBixTe samples show that all main diffraction peaks are well matched with the PbTe matrix, which has a face-centered cubic structure with the space group Fm 3 bar m . Electron probe microanalysis reveals that Pb content decreases gradually, and Te content remains invariant basically with the increase of Bi content, indicating that Bi atoms are more likely to replace Pb atoms. Thermal analysis shows that the prepared samples possess relatively high thermal stability. Simultaneously, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction pattern indicate that the prepared samples have typical single-crystal structures with good mechanical properties. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of the prepared samples improved significantly compared with that of the pure sample, and the maximum ZT value of 0.84 was obtained at 600 K by the sample with x = 0.2.

Thermoelectric SnS and SnS-SnSe solid solutions prepared by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering: Anisotropic thermoelectric properties.

PubMed

Asfandiyar; Wei, Tian-Ran; Li, Zhiliang; Sun, Fu-Hua; Pan, Yu; Wu, Chao-Feng; Farooq, Muhammad Umer; Tang, Huaichao; Li, Fu; Li, Bo; Li, Jing-Feng

2017-02-27

P-type SnS compound and SnS 1-x Se x solid solutions were prepared by mechanical alloying followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and their thermoelectric properties were then studied in different compositions (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8) along the directions parallel (//) and perpendicular (⊥) to the SPS-pressurizing direction in the temperature range 323-823 Κ. SnS compound and SnS 1-x Se x solid solutions exhibited anisotropic thermoelectric performance and showed higher power factor and thermal conductivity along the direction ⊥ than the // one. The thermal conductivity decreased with increasing contents of Se and fell to 0.36 W m -1  K -1 at 823 K for the composition SnS 0.5 Se 0.5 . With increasing selenium content (x) the formation of solid solutions substantially improved the electrical conductivity due to the increased carrier concentration. Hence, the optimized power factor and reduced thermal conductivity resulted in a maximum ZT value of 0.64 at 823 K for SnS 0.2 Se 0.8 along the parallel direction.

Approximate controllability of a system of parabolic equations with delay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco, Alexander; Leiva, Hugo

2008-09-01

In this paper we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the approximate controllability of the following system of parabolic equations with delay: where [Omega] is a bounded domain in , D is an n×n nondiagonal matrix whose eigenvalues are semi-simple with nonnegative real part, the control and B[set membership, variant]L(U,Z) with , . The standard notation zt(x) defines a function from [-[tau],0] to (with x fixed) by zt(x)(s)=z(t+s,x), -[tau][less-than-or-equals, slant]s[less-than-or-equals, slant]0. Here [tau][greater-or-equal, slanted]0 is the maximum delay, which is supposed to be finite. We assume that the operator is linear and bounded, and [phi]0[set membership, variant]Z, [phi][set membership, variant]L2([-[tau],0];Z). To this end: First, we reformulate this system into a standard first-order delay equation. Secondly, the semigroup associated with the first-order delay equation on an appropriate product space is expressed as a series of strongly continuous semigroups and orthogonal projections related with the eigenvalues of the Laplacian operator (); this representation allows us to reduce the controllability of this partial differential equation with delay to a family of ordinary delay equations. Finally, we use the well-known result on the rank condition for the approximate controllability of delay system to derive our main result.

Thermoelectric properties of In and I doped PbTe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bali, Ashoka; Chetty, Raju; Sharma, Amit; Rogl, Gerda; Heinrich, Patrick; Suwas, Satyam; Misra, Dinesh Kumar; Rogl, Peter; Bauer, Ernst; Mallik, Ramesh Chandra

2016-11-01

A systematic study of structural, microstructural, and thermoelectric properties of bulk PbTe doped with indium (In) alone and co-doped with both indium and iodine (I) has been done. X-ray diffraction results showed all the samples to be of single phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results revealed the particle sizes to be in the range of micrometers, while high resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate distinct microstructural features such as interfaces, grain boundaries, and strain field domains. Hall measurement at 300 K revealed the carrier concentration ˜1019 cm-3 showing the degenerate nature which was further seen in the electrical resistivity of samples, which increased with rising temperature. Seebeck coefficient indicated that all samples were n-type semiconductors with electrons as the majority carriers throughout the temperature range. A maximum power factor ˜25 μW cm-1 K-2 for all In doped samples and Pb0.998In0.003Te1.000I0.003 was observed at 700 K. Doping leads to a reduction in the total thermal conductivity due to enhanced phonon scattering by mass fluctuations and distinct microstructure features such as interfaces, grain boundaries, and strain field domains. The highest zT of 1.12 at 773 K for In doped samples and a zT of 1.1 at 770 K for In and I co-doped samples were obtained.

77 FR 51518 - Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-24

... for all positions within the Scientific and Engineering (ZP) career path at the Pay Band III and above, for Nuclear Reactor Operator positions in the Scientific and Engineering Technician (ZT) career path... and Engineering Technician (ZT) career path at the Pay Band III and above, and for all positions in...

Observational constraints on Hubble parameter in viscous generalized Chaplygin gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakur, P.

2018-04-01

Cosmological model with viscous generalized Chaplygin gas (in short, VGCG) is considered here to determine observational constraints on its equation of state parameters (in short, EoS) from background data. These data consists of H(z)-z (OHD) data, Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations peak parameter, CMB shift parameter and SN Ia data (Union 2.1). Best-fit values of the EoS parameters including present Hubble parameter (H0) and their acceptable range at different confidence limits are determined. In this model the permitted range for the present Hubble parameter and the transition redshift (zt) at 1σ confidence limits are H0= 70.24^{+0.34}_{-0.36} and zt=0.76^{+0.07}_{-0.07} respectively. These EoS parameters are then compared with those of other models. Present age of the Universe (t0) have also been determined here. Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion for the model selection have been adopted for comparison with other models. It is noted that VGCG model satisfactorily accommodates the present accelerating phase of the Universe.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of β-Zn4Sb3 based nanocomposites through combined effects of density of states resonance and carrier energy filtering.

PubMed

Zou, Tianhua; Qin, Xiaoying; Zhang, Yongsheng; Li, Xiaoguang; Zeng, Zhi; Li, Di; Zhang, Jian; Xin, Hongxing; Xie, Wenjie; Weidenkaff, Anke

2015-12-15

It is a major challenge to elevate the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of materials through enhancing their power factor (PF) and reducing the thermal conductivity at the same time. Experience has shown that engineering of the electronic density of states (eDOS) and the energy filtering mechanism (EFM) are two different effective approaches to improve the PF. However, the successful combination of these two methods is elusive. Here we show that the PF of β-Zn4Sb3 can greatly benefit from both effects. Simultaneous resonant distortion in eDOS via Pb-doping and energy filtering via introduction of interface potentials result in a ~40% increase of PF and an approximately twofold reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity due to interface scattering. Accordingly, the ZT of β-Pb0.02Zn3.98Sb3 with 3 vol.% of Cu3SbSe4 nanoinclusions reaches a value of 1.4 at 648 K. The combination of eDOS engineering and EFM would potentially facilitate the development of high-performance thermoelectric materials.

Investigation of doped Perovskite systems RAIO3 using density functional theory based electronic structure and thermoelectric studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandeep; Rai, D. P.; Shankar, A.; Ghimire, M. P.; Thapa, R. K.

2016-10-01

Samarium doping effects on the thermoelectric properties in Eu1-xSmxAlO3 (x=0%, 50%, and 100%) were studied using first principles calculations based thermal transport property measurement. The result indicate that the compound is an intrinsic n-type material. Samarium doping has a positive effect on the overall thermoelectric performance of the Eu1-xSmxAlO3 system, with sharp increase in figure of merit (ZT) observed when x=0, 50 and 100% up to 150K. Compared to x=0 and 100%, the case of x=50% was found to have more positive increment in ZT value suggesting that the doing to have positive effect on figure of merit in Eu1-xSmxAlO3. Furthermore, all the samples show stable thermoelectric compatibility factors over a broad temperature range from 700 to 1000 K, which could have great benefits for their practical applications. It is concluded that the overall thermoelectric performance of the Eu1-xSmxAlO3 could be highly enhanced using doping techniques.

Low effective mass and carrier concentration optimization for high performance p-type Mg2(1-x)Li2xSi0.3Sn0.7 solid solutions.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiang; Cheng, Long; Liu, Wei; Zheng, Yun; Su, Xianli; Chi, Hang; Liu, Huijun; Yan, Yonggao; Tang, Xinfeng; Uher, Ctirad

2014-11-21

Mg2Si1-xSnx solid solutions are promising thermoelectric materials for power generation applications in the 500-800 K range. Outstanding n-type forms of these solid solutions have been developed in the past few years with the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT as high as 1.4. Unfortunately, no comparable performance has been achieved so far with p-type forms of the structure. In this work, we use Li doping on Mg sites in an attempt to enhance and control the concentration of hole carriers. We show that Li as well as Ga is a far more effective p-type dopant in comparison to Na or K. With the increasing content of Li, the electrical conductivity rises rapidly on account of a significantly enhanced density of holes. While the Seebeck coefficient decreases concomitantly, the power factor retains robust values supported by a rather high mobility of holes. Theoretical calculations indicate that Mg2Si0.3Sn0.7 intrinsically possesses the almost convergent double valence band structure (the light and heavy band), and Li doping retains a low density of states (DOS) on the top of the valence band, contrary to the Ga doping at the sites of Si/Sn. Low temperature specific heat capacity studies attest to a low DOS effective mass in Li-doped samples and consequently their larger hole mobility. The overall effect is a large power factor of Li-doped solid solutions. Although the thermal conductivity increases as more Li is incorporated in the structure, the enhanced carrier density effectively shifts the onset of intrinsic excitations (bipolar effect) to higher temperatures, and the beneficial role of phonon Umklapp processes as the primary limiting factor to the lattice thermal conductivity is thus extended. The final outcome is the figure of merit ZT ∼ 0.5 at 750 K for x = 0.07. This represents a 30% improvement in the figure of merit of p-type Mg2Si1-xSnx solid solutions over the literature values. Hence, designing low DOS near Fermi level EF for given carrier pockets can serve as an effective approach to optimize the PF and thus ZT value.

The Shock and Vibration Digest. Volume 12, Number 12,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

accelerations is presented. R.G. Schwarz It is shown that while the technique is theoretically cor- Fortschritt-Berichte der VDI -Zt., Series 8, No. 30, rect, it...is subject to experimental limitations due to in- 188 pp, 22 figs, 7 tables (1980). Summary in VDI -Z accuracies in current accelerometer technology...relationship of the so- better understanding of the fatigue life of wind turbine called K-value of the proposed standard VDI 2057 to the pal blades

Modeling the Thermoelectric Properties of Ti5O9 Magneli Phase Ceramics

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-14

these ceramics were investigated from room temperature to 1076 K. We show that the experimental variation of the electrical conduc- tivity with...figure-of-merit ZT of this nanoceramic material reaches 0.3 K at 1076 K. Key words: Thermoelectrics, nanoceramics, magnéli phase, small polaron...be obtained from the previous data. Thermal conductivity values were extrapolated for 876 K, 975 K, and 1076 K to match the range of thermopower and

Effects of Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles on the Thermoelectric Properties of Heavy-Fermion YbAl3 Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Danqi; Mu, Xin; Zhou, Hongyu; Li, Cuncheng; Ma, Shifang; Ji, Pengxia; Hou, Weikang; Wei, Ping; Zhu, Wanting; Nie, Xiaolei; Zhao, Wenyu

2018-06-01

The magnetic nanocomposite thermoelectric materials xFe3O4/YbAl3 ( x = 0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) have been prepared by the combination of ultrasonic dispersion and spark plasma sintering process. The nanocomposites retain good chemical stability in the presence of the second-phase Fe3O4. The second-phase Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles are distributed on the interfaces and boundaries of the matrix. The x dependences of thermoelectric properties indicate that Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles can significantly decrease the thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. The magnetic nanoparticles embedded in YbAl3 matrix are not only the phonon scattering centers of nanostructures, but also the electron scattering centers due to the Kondo-like effect between the magnetic moment of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the spin of electrons. The ZT values of the composites are first increased in the x range 0%-1.0% and then decreased when x > 1.0%. The highest ZT value reaches 0.3 at 300 K for the nanocomposite with x = 1.0%. Our work demonstrates that the Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles can greatly increase the thermoelectric performance of heavy-fermion YbAl3 thermoelectric materials through simultaneously scattering electrons and phonons.

Nano- and Microstructure Engineering: An Effective Method for Creating High Efficiency Magnesium Silicide Based Thermoelectrics.

PubMed

Farahi, Nader; Prabhudev, Sagar; Botton, Gianluigi A; Salvador, James R; Kleinke, Holger

2016-12-21

Considering the effect of CO 2 emission together with the depletion of fossil fuel resources on future generations, industries in particular the transportation sector are in deep need of a viable solution to follow the environmental regulation to limit the CO 2 emission. Thermoelectrics may be a practical choice for recovering the waste heat, provided their conversion energy can be improved. Here, the high temperature thermoelectric properties of high purity Bi doped Mg 2 (Si,Sn) are presented. The samples Mg 2 Si 1-x-y Sn x Bi y with x(Sn) ≥ 0.6 and y(Bi) ≥ 0.03 exhibited electrical conductivities and Seebeck coefficients of approximately 1000 Ω -1 cm -1 and -200 μV K -1 at 773 K, respectively, attributable to a combination of band convergence and microstructure engineering through ball mill processing. In addition to the high electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, the thermal conductivity of the solid solutions reached values below 2.5 W m -1 K -1 due to highly efficient phonon scattering from mass fluctuation and grain boundary effects. These properties combined for zT values of 1.4 at 773 K with an average zT of 0.9 between 400 and 773 K. The transport properties were both highly reproducible across several measurement systems and were stable with thermal cycling.

Synthesis and Characterization of Rare-Earth Tellurides and Their Composites For High-Temperature Thermoelectric Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheikh, Dean

Radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) are solid-state energy conversion devices and have been a vital power generation technology for deep space missions conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). At the heart of these generators are thermoelectric materials that convert heat given off by a radioisotope decay into electricity through the Seebeck effect. While these systems have demonstrated long-term reliability, the current state-of-practice materials have thermoelectric figures of merit, ZT, near 1, leading to low system level efficiencies of 6.5%. The figure of merit is defined as ZT = sigmaS 2/kappa T where sigma, S, kappa, and T are electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, and temperature, respectively. Development of higher ZT materials would enable future NASA missions to perform a greater number of scientific experiments and extend mission lifetimes. Lanthanum telluride (La3-xTe4) is a state-of-the-art n-type high-temperature thermoelectric material, with a ZT of 1.1 at 1275 K. It has been demonstrated that the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of this material can be decoupled when nickel inclusions are added to form a composite. This new phenomenon, known as composite assisted funneling of electrons (CAFE), allows for the resistivity of the composite to decrease while leaving the Seebeck coefficient unaffected when 12-15 vol% nickel was incorporated. The initial work presented in this dissertation focused on microstructural modifications to La3-xTe4-Ni composites to attain a better understanding of the CAFE mechanism. This investigation was conducted by varying the size of the nickel particles compared to what were used in the previous composite study. A 60% increase in ZT to a value of 1.9 at 1200 K for the composites with the smallest Ni particle size was obtained due to an increased Seebeck coefficient and decreased thermal conductivity. The next study focused on the extension of the CAFE effect in La 3-xTe4 to use inclusions other than nickel. Cobalt of a similar size to the nickel in the initial La3-xTe4-Ni composite work was used. A series of La3-xTe4-Co composites were synthesized and their thermoelectric properties characterized. A gradual decrease in resistivity was observed above 8 vol% cobalt, suggesting the CAFE mechanism was occurring. An 18% increase to the Seebeck coefficient was observed between 5-8 vol% cobalt, likely due to contamination on the cobalt powder, altering the carrier concentration of the matrix. The increase to the Seebeck coefficient allowed for a ZT of 1.5 at 1225 K to be achieved at 5 vol% cobalt. The final investigation in this dissertation focused on the synthesis and thermoelectric characterization of praseodymium telluride (Pr3-x Te4). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations predicted a large peak in the density of states (DOS) of Pr3-xTe4 at its Fermi level compared to La3-xTe4, due to the 4ƒ electrons of praseodymium. This change in the band structure was predicted to increase the Seebeck coefficient of Pr3-xTe4 over La3-xTe4. A series of Pr3-xTe4 with varying vacancy concentrations were mechanochemically synthesized and characterized. A 25% improvement in the Seebeck coefficient and 25% decrease in the thermal conductivity compared to La3-xTe4 was observed. The thermoelectric properties were found to optimize at a composition of Pr2.74Te4, reaching a ZT of 1.7 at 1200 K.

Chemistry of Non-Equilibrium Film Deposition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

titanium isopropoxide mixed with water solutions of lanthanum and lead nitrate. The gels were dehydrated, then fired to 600C to remove all organics...OW- ’so IRO $Va. ame Thin films; titanium dioxide; -PuZT,- ion beam deposition; annealing,’ trnmiso electron microscopy. 4 - . - S \\AISST 0A ZT *Can...Deposition....... . ... *.... .. ... .. ..... .. . .... 2 C. Nonequilibrium Physical Deposition.................... 3 1. Titanium Oxide Films

Highly efficient Zr doped-TiO2/glass fiber photocatalyst and its performance in formaldehyde removal under visible light.

PubMed

Huang, Chao; Ding, Yaping; Chen, Yingwen; Li, Peiwen; Zhu, Shemin; Shen, Shubao

2017-10-01

Zr-doped-TiO 2 loaded glass fiber (ZT/GF) composite photocatalysts with different Zr/Ti ratios were prepared with a sol-gel process. Zr 4+ can replace Ti 4+ in the TiO 2 lattice, which is conducive to forming the anatase phase and reducing the calcination temperature. The glass fiber carrier was responsible for better dispersion and loading of Zr-doped-TiO 2 particles, improving the applicability of the Zr-doped-TiO 2 . The ZT/GF photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH). The performance of photocatalysts with different loading was evaluated in formaldehyde degradation under visible light at room temperature. ZT/GF0.2 exhibited the highest activity, with a formaldehyde removal rate as high as 95.14% being observed, which is better than that of the photocatalyst particles alone. The stability of the catalyst was also tested, and ZT/GF exhibited excellent catalytic performance with 94.38% removal efficiency, even after seven uses. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cycle affects imidacloprid efficiency by mediating cytochrome P450 expression in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens.

PubMed

Kang, K; Yang, P; Pang, R; Yue, L; Zhang, W

2017-10-01

Circadian clocks influence most behaviours and physiological activities in animals, including daily fluctuations in metabolism. However, how the clock gene cycle influences insects' responses to pesticides has rarely been reported. Here, we provide evidence that cycle affects imidacloprid efficacy by mediating the expression of cytochrome P450 genes in the brown planthopper (BPH) Nilaparvata lugens, a serious insect pest of rice. Survival bioassays showed that the susceptibility of BPH adults to imidacloprid differed significantly between the two time points tested [Zeitgeber Time 8 (ZT8) and ZT4]. After cloning the cycle gene in the BPH (Nlcycle), we found that Nlcycle was expressed at higher levels in the fat body and midgut, and its expression was rhythmic with two peaks. Knockdown of Nlcycle affected the expression levels and rhythms of cytochrome P450 genes as well as susceptibility to imidacloprid. The survival rates of BPH adults after treatment with imidacloprid did not significantly differ between ZT4 and ZT8 after double-stranded Nlcycle treatment. These findings can be used to improve pesticide use and increase pesticide efficiency in the field. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.

Circadian rhythms accelerate wound healing in female Siberian hamsters

PubMed Central

Cable, Erin J.; Onishi, Kenneth G.; Prendergast, Brian J.

2017-01-01

Circadian rhythms (CRs) provide temporal regulation and coordination of numerous physiological traits, including immune function. CRs in multiple aspects of immune function are absent in rodents that have been rendered circadian-arrhythmic through various methods. In Siberian hamsters, circadian arrhythmia can be induced by disruptive light treatments (DPS). Here we examined CRs in wound healing, and the effects of circadian disruption on wound healing in DPS-arrhythmic hamsters. Circadian entrained/rhythmic (RHYTH) and behaviorally-arrhythmic (ARR) female hamsters were administered a cutaneous wound either 3 h after light onset (ZT03) or 2 h after dark onset (ZT18); wound size was quantified daily using image analyses. Among RHYTH hamsters, ZT03 wounds healed faster than ZT18 wounds, whereas in ARR hamsters, circadian phase did not affect wound healing. In addition, wounds healed slower in ARR hamsters. The results document a clear CR in wound healing, and indicate that the mere presence of organismal circadian organization enhances this aspect of immune function. Faster wound healing in CR-competent hamsters may be mediated by CR-driven coordination of the temporal order of mechanisms (inflammation, leukocyte trafficking, tissue remodeling) underlying cutaneous wound healing. PMID:27998755

Computational modeling and analysis of thermoelectric properties of nanoporous silicon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, H.; Yu, Y.; Li, G., E-mail: gli@clemson.edu

2014-03-28

In this paper, thermoelectric properties of nanoporous silicon are modeled and studied by using a computational approach. The computational approach combines a quantum non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) coupled with the Poisson equation for electrical transport analysis, a phonon Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) for phonon thermal transport analysis and the Wiedemann-Franz law for calculating the electronic thermal conductivity. By solving the NEGF/Poisson equations self-consistently using a finite difference method, the electrical conductivity σ and Seebeck coefficient S of the material are numerically computed. The BTE is solved by using a finite volume method to obtain the phonon thermal conductivity k{sub p}more » and the Wiedemann-Franz law is used to obtain the electronic thermal conductivity k{sub e}. The figure of merit of nanoporous silicon is calculated by ZT=S{sup 2}σT/(k{sub p}+k{sub e}). The effects of doping density, porosity, temperature, and nanopore size on thermoelectric properties of nanoporous silicon are investigated. It is confirmed that nanoporous silicon has significantly higher thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency than its nonporous counterpart. Specifically, this study shows that, with a n-type doping density of 10{sup 20} cm{sup –3}, a porosity of 36% and nanopore size of 3 nm × 3 nm, the figure of merit ZT can reach 0.32 at 600 K. The results also show that the degradation of electrical conductivity of nanoporous Si due to the inclusion of nanopores is compensated by the large reduction in the phonon thermal conductivity and increase of absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient, resulting in a significantly improved ZT.« less

Convergence of electronic bands for high performance bulk thermoelectrics.

PubMed

Pei, Yanzhong; Shi, Xiaoya; LaLonde, Aaron; Wang, Heng; Chen, Lidong; Snyder, G Jeffrey

2011-05-05

Thermoelectric generators, which directly convert heat into electricity, have long been relegated to use in space-based or other niche applications, but are now being actively considered for a variety of practical waste heat recovery systems-such as the conversion of car exhaust heat into electricity. Although these devices can be very reliable and compact, the thermoelectric materials themselves are relatively inefficient: to facilitate widespread application, it will be desirable to identify or develop materials that have an intensive thermoelectric materials figure of merit, zT, above 1.5 (ref. 1). Many different concepts have been used in the search for new materials with high thermoelectric efficiency, such as the use of nanostructuring to reduce phonon thermal conductivity, which has led to the investigation of a variety of complex material systems. In this vein, it is well known that a high valley degeneracy (typically ≤6 for known thermoelectrics) in the electronic bands is conducive to high zT, and this in turn has stimulated attempts to engineer such degeneracy by adopting low-dimensional nanostructures. Here we demonstrate that it is possible to direct the convergence of many valleys in a bulk material by tuning the doping and composition. By this route, we achieve a convergence of at least 12 valleys in doped PbTe(1-x)Se(x) alloys, leading to an extraordinary zT value of 1.8 at about 850 kelvin. Band engineering to converge the valence (or conduction) bands to achieve high valley degeneracy should be a general strategy in the search for and improvement of bulk thermoelectric materials, because it simultaneously leads to a high Seebeck coefficient and high electrical conductivity. ©2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Ab initio study of thermoelectric properties of doped SnO{sub 2} superlattices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borges, P.D., E-mail: pdborges@gmail.com; Silva, D.E.S.; Castro, N.S.

2015-11-15

Transparent conductive oxides, such as tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2}), have recently shown to be promising materials for thermoelectric applications. In this work we studied the thermoelectric properties of Fe-, Sb- and Zn-uniformly doping and co-doping SnO{sub 2}, as well as of Sb and Zn planar (or delta)-doped layers in SnO{sub 2} forming oxide superlattices (SLs). Based on the semiclassical Boltzmann transport equations (BTE) in conjunction with ab initio electronic structure calculations, the Seebeck coefficient (S) and figure of merit (ZT) are obtained for these systems, and are compared with available experimental data. The delta doping approach introduces a remarkable modificationmore » in the electronic structure of tin dioxide, when compared with the uniform doping, and colossal values for ZT are predicted for the delta-doped oxide SLs. This result is a consequence of the two-dimensional electronic confinement and the strong anisotropy introduced by the doped planes. In comparison with the uniformly doped systems, our predictions reveal a promising use of delta-doped SnO{sub 2} SLs for enhanced S and ZT, which emerge as potential candidates for thermoelectric applications. - Graphical abstract: Band structure and Figure of merit for SnO2:Sb superlattice along Z direction, P. D. Borges, D. E. S. Silva, N. S. Castro, C. R. Ferreira, F. G. Pinto, J. Tronto and L. Scolfaro, Ab initio study of thermoelectric properties of doped SnO2 superlattices. - Highlights: • Thermoelectric properties of SnO{sub 2}-based alloys and superlattices. • High figure of merit is predicted for planar-doped SnO{sub 2} superlattices. • Nanotechnology has an important role for the development of thermoelectric devices.« less

Redox control of thermopower and figure of merit in phase-coherent molecular wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Suárez, Víctor M.; Lambert, Colin J.; Manrique, David Zs; Wandlowski, Thomas

2014-05-01

We demonstrate how redox control of intra-molecular quantum interference in phase-coherent molecular wires can be used to enhance the thermopower (Seebeck coefficient) S and thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of single molecules attached to nanogap electrodes. Using first principles theory, we study the thermoelectric properties of a family of nine molecules, which consist of dithiol-terminated oligo (phenylene-ethynylenes) (OPEs) containing various central units. Uniquely, one molecule of this family possesses a conjugated acene-based central backbone attached via triple bonds to terminal sulfur atoms bound to gold electrodes and incorporates a fully conjugated hydroquinonecentral unit. We demonstrate that both S and the electronic contribution Z el T to the figure of merit ZT can be dramatically enhanced by oxidizing the hydroquinone to yield a second molecule, which possesses a cross-conjugated anthraquinone central unit. This enhancement originates from the conversion of the pi-conjugation in the former to cross-conjugation in the latter, which promotes the appearance of a sharp anti-resonance at the Fermi energy. Comparison with thermoelectric properties of the remaining seven conjugated molecules demonstrates that such large values of S and Z el T are unprecedented. We also evaluate the phonon contribution to the thermal conductance, which allows us to compute the full figure of merit ZT = Z el T/(1 + κ p/κ el), where κ p is the phonon contribution to the thermal conductance and κ el is the electronic contribution. For unstructured gold electrodes, κ p/κ el ≫⃒ 1 and therefore strategies to reduce κ p are needed to realize the highest possible figure of merit.

Effects of interdot hopping and Coulomb blockade on the thermoelectric properties of serially coupled quantum dots

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We have theoretically studied the thermoelectric properties of serially coupled quantum dots (SCQDs) embedded in an insulator connected to metallic electrodes. In the framework of Keldysh Green’s function technique, the Landauer formula of transmission factor is obtained using the equation of motion method. Based on such analytical expressions of charge and heat currents, we calculate the electrical conductance, Seebeck coefficient, electron thermal conductance, and figure of merit (ZT) of SCQDs in the linear response regime. The effects of interdot hopping and electron Coulomb interactions on ZT are analyzed. We demonstrate that ZT is not a monotonic increasing function of interdot electron hopping strength (tc). We also show that in the absence of phonon thermal conductance, SCQD can reach the Carnot efficiency as tcapproaches zero. PMID:22591807

Seebeck and figure of merit enhancement in nanostructured antimony telluride by antisite defect suppression through sulfur doping.

PubMed

Mehta, Rutvik J; Zhang, Yanliang; Zhu, Hong; Parker, David S; Belley, Matthew; Singh, David J; Ramprasad, Ramamurthy; Borca-Tasciuc, Theodorian; Ramanath, Ganpati

2012-09-12

Antimony telluride has a low thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT < ∼0.3) because of a low Seebeck coefficient α arising from high degenerate hole concentrations generated by antimony antisite defects. Here, we mitigate this key problem by suppressing antisite defect formation using subatomic percent sulfur doping. The resultant 10-25% higher α in bulk nanocrystalline antimony telluride leads to ZT ∼ 0.95 at 423 K, which is superior to the best non-nanostructured antimony telluride alloys. Density functional theory calculations indicate that sulfur increases the antisite formation activation energy and presage further improvements leading to ZT ∼ 2 through optimized doping. Our findings are promising for designing novel thermoelectric materials for refrigeration, waste heat recovery, and solar thermal applications.

Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit of Nanostructured Silicon with a Low Concentration of Germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Gaohua; Lee, Hohyun; Lan, Yucheng; Wang, Xiaowei; Joshi, Giri; Wang, Dezhi; Yang, Jian; Dresselhaus, Mildred; Chen, Gang; Ren, Zhifeng

2009-03-01

The thermoelectric properties of nanostructured silicon (Si) with a low concentration of germanium (Ge) are investigated. A low concentration of Ge leads to a significant cost reduction of the final product since Ge is at least 100 times more expensive than Si. By using only 5 atomic % Ge (Si95Ge5), we have achieved a thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of 0.95, similar to the ZT in the large grained Si80Ge20 alloy that is three times more expensive, and is almost four times that of the large grained bulk Si. The enhancement in the thermoelectric ZT for the nanostructured Si95Ge5 is mostly due to the reduced thermal conductivity caused by phonon scattering at the increased grain boundaries and the Ge alloying effect.

No Escaping the Rat Race: Simulated Night Shift Work Alters the Time-of-Day Variation in BMAL1 Translational Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex.

PubMed

Marti, Andrea R; Patil, Sudarshan; Mrdalj, Jelena; Meerlo, Peter; Skrede, Silje; Pallesen, Ståle; Pedersen, Torhild T; Bramham, Clive R; Grønli, Janne

2017-01-01

Millions of people worldwide work during the night, resulting in disturbed circadian rhythms and sleep loss. This may cause deficits in cognitive functions, impaired alertness and increased risk of errors and accidents. Disturbed circadian rhythmicity resulting from night shift work could impair brain function and cognition through disrupted synthesis of proteins involved in synaptic plasticity and neuronal function. Recently, the circadian transcription factor brain-and-muscle arnt-like protein 1 (BMAL1) has been identified as a promoter of mRNA translation initiation, the most highly regulated step in protein synthesis, through binding to the mRNA "cap". In this study we investigated the effects of simulated shift work on protein synthesis markers. Male rats ( n = 40) were exposed to forced activity, either in their rest phase (simulated night shift work) or in their active phase (simulated day shift work) for 3 days. Following the third work shift, experimental animals and time-matched undisturbed controls were euthanized (rest work at ZT12; active work at ZT0). Tissue lysates from two brain regions (prefrontal cortex, PFC and hippocampus) implicated in cognition and sleep loss, were analyzed with m 7 GTP (cap) pull-down to examine time-of-day variation and effects of simulated shift work on cap-bound protein translation. The results show time-of-day variation of protein synthesis markers in PFC, with increased protein synthesis at ZT12. In the hippocampus there was little difference between ZT0 and ZT12. Active phase work did not induce statistically significant changes in protein synthesis markers at ZT0 compared to time-matched undisturbed controls. Rest work, however, resulted in distinct brain-region specific changes of protein synthesis markers compared to time-matched controls at ZT12. While no changes were observed in the hippocampus, phosphorylation of cap-bound BMAL1 and its regulator S6 kinase beta-1 (S6K1) was significantly reduced in the PFC, together with significant reduction in the synaptic plasticity associated protein activity-regulatedcytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc). Our results indicate considerable time-of-day and brain-region specific variation in cap-dependent translation initiation. We concludethat simulated night shift work in rats disrupts the pathways regulating the circadian component of the translation of mRNA in the PFC, and that this may partly explain impaired waking function during night shift work.

Daytime soybean transcriptome fluctuations during water deficit stress.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Fabiana Aparecida; Fuganti-Pagliarini, Renata; Marcolino-Gomes, Juliana; Nakayama, Thiago Jonas; Molinari, Hugo Bruno Correa; Lobo, Francisco Pereira; Harmon, Frank G; Nepomuceno, Alexandre Lima

2015-07-07

Since drought can seriously affect plant growth and development and little is known about how the oscillations of gene expression during the drought stress-acclimation response in soybean is affected, we applied Illumina technology to sequence 36 cDNA libraries synthesized from control and drought-stressed soybean plants to verify the dynamic changes in gene expression during a 24-h time course. Cycling variables were measured from the expression data to determine the putative circadian rhythm regulation of gene expression. We identified 4866 genes differentially expressed in soybean plants in response to water deficit. Of these genes, 3715 were differentially expressed during the light period, from which approximately 9.55% were observed in both light and darkness. We found 887 genes that were either up- or down-regulated in different periods of the day. Of 54,175 predicted soybean genes, 35.52% exhibited expression oscillations in a 24 h period. This number increased to 39.23% when plants were submitted to water deficit. Major differences in gene expression were observed in the control plants from late day (ZT16) until predawn (ZT20) periods, indicating that gene expression oscillates during the course of 24 h in normal development. Under water deficit, dissimilarity increased in all time-periods, indicating that the applied stress influenced gene expression. Such differences in plants under stress were primarily observed in ZT0 (early morning) to ZT8 (late day) and also from ZT4 to ZT12. Stress-related pathways were triggered in response to water deficit primarily during midday, when more genes were up-regulated compared to early morning. Additionally, genes known to be involved in secondary metabolism and hormone signaling were also expressed in the dark period. Gene expression networks can be dynamically shaped to acclimate plant metabolism under environmental stressful conditions. We have identified putative cycling genes that are expressed in soybean leaves under normal developmental conditions and genes whose expression oscillates under conditions of water deficit. These results suggest that time of day, as well as light and temperature oscillations that occur considerably affect the regulation of water deficit stress response in soybean plants.

The Shock and Vibration Bulletin. Part 3. Analytical Methods, Dynamic Analysis, Vehicle Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

1 Strnge Spcingramtr Fig 3% aito fma qaedslcmn ihsrne pcn 654 12 100 0 0 0 4 0 s 0 2 Distance along peal edge in - - Fig. 4 - Variation of...7 ~ ! v’j 4 pq -1 iijiL - -bp(C) I bpp ’ (24) L V* ki k2K 2 + (1 (ZT~~ - !I + !- 2) Y(IJ) and the value of bpp ’ can be tabulated as in 101 L .’blel1I...mI Table It. Values of bpp in Equation (24) The assembling of equations for a gun dynamics problem is more involved. The basic r1 procedures

Variations of thermoelectric performance by electric fields in bilayer MX2 (M = W, Mo; X = S, Se).

PubMed

Wang, Rui-Ning; Dong, Guo-Yi; Wang, Shu-Fang; Fu, Guang-Sheng; Wang, Jiang-Long

2017-02-22

A gate electrode is usually used to controllably tune the carrier concentrations, further modulating the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient to obtain the optimum thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) in two-dimensional materials. On the other hand, it is necessary to investigate how an electric field induced by a gate voltage affects the electronic structures, further determining the thermoelectric properties. Therefore, by using density functional calculations in combination with Boltzmann theory, the thermoelectric properties of bilayer MX 2 (M = W, Mo; X = S, Se) with or without a 1 V nm -1 perpendicular electric field are comparatively investigated. First of all, the variations of the electrical conductivity (σ), electron thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient (S) with the carrier concentration are studied. Due to the trade-off relationship between S and σ, there is an optimum concentration to obtain the maximum ZT, which increases with the temperature due to the enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient. Moreover, N-type bilayers have larger optimum ZTs than P-type bilayers. In addition, the electric field results in the increase of the Seebeck coefficient in low hole-doped MS 2 bilayers and high hole-doped MSe 2 bilayers, thus leading to similar variations in ZT. The optimum ZTs are reduced from 2.11 × 10 -2 , 3.19 × 10 -2 , 2.47 × 10 -2 , and 2.58 × 10 -2 to 1.57 × 10 -2 , 1.51 × 10 -2 , 2.08 × 10 -2 , and 1.43 × 10 -2 for the hole-doped MoS 2 , MoSe 2 , and WSe 2 bilayers, respectively. For N-type bilayers, the electric field shows a destructive effect, resulting in the obvious reduction of the Seebeck coefficient in the MSe 2 layers and the low electron-doped MS 2 bilayers. In electron-doped bilayers, the optimum ZTs will decrease from 3.03 × 10 -2 , 6.64 × 10 -2 , and 6.69 × 10 -2 to 2.81 × 10 -2 , 3.59 × 10 -2 , and 4.39 × 10 -2 for the MoS 2 , MoSe 2 , and WSe 2 bilayers, respectively.

Thermoelectric transport properties of nanostructured FeSb 2 and Ce-based heavy-fermions CeCu and CeAl 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokharel, Mani R.

Thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion is an all-solid-state technology which can convert waste thermal energy into useful electric power and cool ambience without using harmful gases like CFC. Due to their several advantages over traditional energy conversion technologies, thermoelectric generators (TEG) and coolers (TEC) have drawn enormous research efforts. The objective of this work is to find promising materials for thermoelectric cooling applications and optimize their thermoelectric performances. Finding a material with a good value for the thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) at cryogenic temperatures, specifically below 77 K, has been of great interest. This work demonstrates that FeSb2 1, CeCu6 2 and CeAl3 3, all belonging to a class of materials with strongly correlated electron behavior; exhibit promising thermoelectric properties below 77 K. In general, ZT of a TE material can be increased using two basic approaches: lattice thermal conductivity reduction and power factor (PF) enhancement. The results of this study indicate that nanostructuring effectively decreases the thermal conductivity of FeSb2, CeCu6 and CeAl 3 leading to improved ZT. The approach of introducing point-defect scattering to further reduce the thermal conductivity is successfully implemented for Te-substituted FeSb2 nanostructured samples 4. A semiconductor/metal interface has long been proposed to exhibit enhanced thermoelectric properties. We use this technique by introducing Ag-nanoparticles in the host FeSb2 which further increases ZT by 70% 5. Additionally, a detailed investigation is made on the phonon-drag effect as a possible mechanism responsible for the large value of the Seebeck coefficient of FeSb2 6. We show that the phonon-drag mechanism contributes significantly to the large Seebeck effect in FeSb2 and hence this effect cannot be minor as was proposed in literatures previously. A model based on Kapitza-resistance and effective medium approach (EMA) is used to analyze the thermal conductivities of nanostructured FeSb2 samples 7. We find a notably large value for Kapitza length at low temperatures indicating the dominance of inter-grain thermal resistance over bulk thermal resistance in determining the thermal properties of FeSb 2. 1Huaizhou Zhao, Mani Pokharel, Gaohua Zhu, Shuo Chen, Kevin Lukas, Qing Jie,Cyril Opeil, Gang Chen, and Zhifeng Ren, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 163101 (2011). 2Mani Pokharel, Tulashi Dahal, Zhifeng Ren, and Cyril Opeil, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 609 (2014) 228-232. 3Mani Pokharel, Tulashi Dahal, Zhensong Ren, Peter Czajka, Stephen Wilson, Zhifeng Ren, and Cyril Opeil, Energy Conversion and Management, 87 (2014) 584-588. 4Mani Pokharel, Machhindra Koirala, Huaizhau Zhao, Zhifeng Ren, and Cyril Opeil, J. Low Temp. Phys., 176 (2014) 122-130. 5Mani Pokharel, Huaizhou Zhao, Shuo Chen, Kevin Lukas, Hui Wang, Cyril Opeil1, Gang Chen, and Zhifeng Ren, Nanotechnology 23 (2012) 505402. 6Mani Pokharel, Huaizhou Zhao, Kevin Lukas, Bogdan Mihaila, Zhifeng Ren, and Cyril Opeil, MRS Communications 3 (2013) 31-36. 7Mani Pokharel, Huaizhau Zhao, Zhifeng Ren, and Cyril Opeil, International Journal of Thermal Science, 71 (2013) 32-35.

Thermoelectric materials with filled skutterudite structure for thermoelectric devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Borshchevsky, Alex (Inventor); Caillat, Thierry (Inventor); Morelli, Donald T. (Inventor); Meisner, Gregory P. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A class of thermoelectric compounds based on the skutterudite structure with heavy filling atoms in the empty octants and substituting transition metals and main-group atoms. High Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivities are achieved in combination with large electrical conductivities in these filled skutterudites for large ZT values. Substituting and filling methods are disclosed to synthesize skutterudite compositions with desired thermoelectric properties. A melting and/or sintering process in combination with powder metallurgy techniques is used to fabricate these new materials.

Thermoelectric devices based on materials with filled skutterudite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Borshchevsky, Alex (Inventor); Caillat, Thierry (Inventor); Morelli, Donald T. (Inventor); Meisner, Gregory P. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A class of thermoelectric compounds based on the skutterudite structure with heavy filling atoms in the empty octants and substituting transition metals and main-group atoms. High Seebeck coefficients and low thermal conductivities are achieved in combination with large electrical conductivities in these filled skutterudites for large ZT values. Substituting and filling methods are disclosed to synthesize skutterudite compositions with desired thermoelectric properties. A melting and/or sintering process in combination with powder metallurgy techniques is used to fabricate these new materials.

The Effectiveness of Organic Pollutants Removal in Constructed Wetland with Horizontal Sub-Surface Flow / Efektywność Usuwania Zanieczyszczeń Organicznych W Oczyszczalni Hydrofitowej

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakubaszek, Anita; Sadecka, Zofia

2015-03-01

This paper presents the results of the research work related to the removal efficiency from wastewater organic pollutants and suspended solids at HSSF (horizontal subsurface flow) constructed wetland. The average effectiveness defined as loss of value COD in wastewater has reached 77%, for BOD5 - 80% and TOC - 82%. The effect of seasonal temperature changes and the period of plant vegetation and rest on the effectiveness of wastewater treatment were also analyzed. The results of the presented research showed a decrease in the efficiency of removing organic pollutants from wastewater and suspended solids in the autumn and winter. During the vegetation the object in Małyszyn has been characterized by the effectiveness of wastewater treatment at the level of 78% for COD, 82% for BOD5, and in the non-vegetation period the effectiveness has decreased up to 75% for COD and 74% for BOD5. During the plants growth the total suspension was removed in 88%, whereas during the plants rest efficiency of removing lowered to 69%. W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczące efektywności usuwania ze ścieków zanieczyszczeń organicznych w oczyszczalni hydrofitowej. Średnia skuteczność oczyszczania wyrażona jako obniżenie wartości ChZT w ściekach była na poziomie 77%, dla BZT5 80%, a dla OWO 82%. Analizowano również wpływ sezonowych zmian temperatury oraz okresu wegetacji i spoczynku roślin na skuteczność oczyszczania ścieków. Wyniki badań wykazały obniżenie efektywności usuwania zanieczyszczeń organicznych ze ścieków wyrażonych przez ChZT i BZT5 oraz zawiesiny ogólnej w okresie jesienno-zimowym. W okresie wegetacyjnym obiekt w Małyszynie charakteryzował się efektywnością oczyszczania ścieków na poziomie: 78% dla ChZT, 82% dla BZT5, a w sezonie pozawegetacyjnym skuteczność uległa obniżeniu do 75% w przypadku ChZT oraz 74% dla BZT5. Zawiesina ogólna w okresie wegetacji trzciny usuwana była w 88%, a w okresie powegetacyjnym w 69%.

Carbon Monoxide Preserves Circadian Rhythm to Reduce the Severity of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Mice.

PubMed

Schallner, Nils; Lieberum, Judith-Lisa; Gallo, David; LeBlanc, Robert H; Fuller, Patrick M; Hanafy, Khalid A; Otterbein, Leo E

2017-09-01

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with a temporal pattern of stroke incidence. We hypothesized that natural oscillations in gene expression controlling circadian rhythm affect the severity of neuronal injury. We moreover predict that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1/ Hmox1 ) and its product carbon monoxide (CO) contribute to the restoration of rhythm and neuroprotection. Murine SAH model was used where blood was injected at various time points of the circadian cycle. Readouts included circadian clock gene expression, locomotor activity, vasospasm, neuroinflammatory markers, and apoptosis. In addition, cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood leukocytes from SAH patients and controls were analyzed for clock gene expression. Significant elevations in the clock genes Per-1 , Per-2 , and NPAS-2 were observed in the hippocampus, cortex, and suprachiasmatic nucleus in mice subjected to SAH at zeitgeber time (ZT) 12 when compared with ZT2. Clock gene expression amplitude correlated with basal expression of HO-1, which was also significantly greater at ZT12. SAH animals showed a significant reduction in cerebral vasospasm, neuronal apoptosis, and microglial activation at ZT12 compared with ZT2. In animals with myeloid-specific HO-1 deletion ( Lyz-Cre-Hmox1 fl/fl ), Per-1, Per-2 , and NPAS-2 expression was reduced in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which correlated with increased injury. Treatment with low-dose CO rescued Lyz-Cre-Hmox1 fl/fl mice, restored Per-1, Per-2 , and NPAS-2 expression, and reduced neuronal apoptosis. Clock gene expression regulates, in part, the severity of SAH and requires myeloid HO-1 activity to clear the erythrocyte burden and inhibit neuronal apoptosis. Exposure to CO rescues the loss of HO-1 and thus merits further investigation in patients with SAH. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Repeated psychosocial stress at night affects the circadian activity rhythm of male mice.

PubMed

Bartlang, Manuela S; Oster, Henrik; Helfrich-Förster, Charlotte

2015-06-01

We have recently shown that molecular rhythms in the murine suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are affected by repeated social defeat (SD) during the dark/active phase (social defeat dark [SDD]), while repeated SD during the light/inactive phase (social defeat light [SDL]) had no influence on PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE explant rhythms in the SCN. Here we assessed the effects of the same stress paradigm by in vivo biotelemetry on 2 output rhythms of the circadian clock (i.e., activity and core body temperature) in wild-type (WT) and clock-deficient Period (Per)1/2 double-mutant mice during and following repeated SDL and SDD. In general, stress had more pronounced effects on activity compared to body temperature rhythms. Throughout the SD procedure, activity and body temperature were markedly increased during the 2 h of stressor exposure at zeitgeber time (ZT) 1 to ZT3 (SDL mice) and ZT13 to ZT15 (SDD mice), which was compensated by decreased activity during the remaining dark phase (SDL and SDD mice) and light phase (SDL mice) in both genotypes. Considerable differences in the activity between SDL and SDD mice were seen in the poststress period. SDD mice exhibited a reduced first activity bout at ZT13, delayed activity onset, and, consequently, a more narrow activity bandwidth compared with single-housed control (SHC) and SDL mice. Given that this effect was absent in Per1/2 mutant SDD mice and persisted under constant darkness conditions in SDD WT mice, it suggests an involvement of the endogenous clock. Taken together, the present findings demonstrate that SDD has long-lasting consequences for the functional output of the biological clock that, at least in part, appear to depend on the clock genes Per1 and Per2. © 2015 The Author(s).

Synthesis and Evaluation of Single Layer, Bilayer, and Multilayer Thermoelectric Thin Films

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Farmer, J. C.; Barbee, T. W. Jr.; Chapline, G. C. Jr.; Olsen, M. L.; Foreman, R. J.; Summers, L. J.; Dresselhaus, M. S.; Hicks, L. D.

1995-01-20

The relative efficiency of a thermoelectric material is measured in terms of a dimensionless figure of merit, ZT. Though all known thermoelectric materials are believed to have ZT{le}1, recent theoretical results predict that thermoelectric devices fabricated as two-dimensional quantum wells (2D QWs) or one-dimensional (ID) quantum wires could have ZT{ge}3. Multilayers with the dimensions of 2D QWs have been synthesized by alternately sputtering thermoelectric and barrier materials onto a moving single-crystal sapphire substrate from dual magnetrons. These materials have been used to test the thermoelectric quantum well concept and gain insight into relevant transport mechanisms. If successful, research could lead to thermoelectric devices that have efficiencies close to that of an ideal Carnot engine. Ultimately, such devices could be used to replace conventional heat engines and mechanical refrigeration systems.

Zero Tolerance Educational Policies and Expansion of the School-to-Prison Pipeline for African American Males: A Multi-Conceptual Analysis of the Linkages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Wayne V.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this theoretical study was to explore, examine, and analyze the United States (US) Zero Tolerance (ZT) educational policies and practices of the school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon. This study specifically explored the influence of the ZT policy on African American males becoming part of that system. The study was guided by three…

Effect of Synthesis Procedure on Thermoelectric Property of SiGe Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Han, Jun; Jiang, Tao; Luo, Lili; Xiang, Yongchun

2018-05-01

SiGe thermoelectric material has been synthesized by ball milling combined with hot pressing (HP) or spark plasma sintering (SPS). Effects of ball milling time, powder to ball weight ratio and sintering method on microstructure and thermoelectric properties of SiGe are studied. The results show that longer ball milling time leads to decreased density and worse electrical properties. In the sintering process, SPS results in much larger density and better electrical properties than HP. The Si0.795Ge0.2B0.005 sample prepared by 2 h ball milling combined with SPS obtains a maximum power factor of 3.0 mW m-1 K-2 at 860 K and ZT of 0.95 at 1000 K.

Nanostructured Co1-xNix(Sb1-yTey)3 skutterudites: Theoretical modeling, synthesis and thermoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiewe, Christian; Bertini, Luca; Toprak, Muhammet; Christensen, Mogens; Platzek, Dieter; Williams, Simon; Gatti, Carlo; Müller, Eckhard; Iversen, Bo B.; Muhammed, Mamoun; Rowe, Michael

2005-02-01

The properties of Te-doped Co(Sb1-yTey)3 and Te-Ni double-doped Co1-xNix(Sb1-yTey)3 nanostructured skutterudites were evaluated by means of x-ray powder diffraction, and transport properties measured on the synthesized samples have been compared with ab initio theoretical modeling. Theoretical optimal dopant contents have been evaluated according to the maximum value of the power factor, calculating the electronic transport properties from the ab initio material band structure using semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory. The samples have been synthesized by chemical alloying with Te substitution for Sb up to 2.5at.% and Ni substitution for Co up to 2.0at.%. X-ray powder diffraction has been performed on all samples to reveal information about phase purity and Rietveld refinement was performed for the phase composition and cell parameter. The thermoelectric properties of the resulting consolidates were investigated in a temperature range from 300to723K using various measurement facilities. A standardization and round robin program was started among the participating evaluation laboratories in order to ensure reliability of the data obtained. The significant reduction in thermal conductivity, when compared to highly annealed CoSb3, could be proved which is caused by the nanostructuring, resulting in a high concentration of grain boundaries. A combination of substitution levels for Ni and Te has been found resulting in the largest ZT value of 0.65 at 680K among unfilled skutterudite materials.

High Efficiency Thermoelectric Radioisotope Power Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Genk, Mohamed; Saber, Hamed; Caillat, Thierry

2004-01-01

The work performed and whose results presented in this report is a joint effort between the University of New Mexico s Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies (ISNPS) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology. In addition to the development, design, and fabrication of skutterudites and skutterudites-based segmented unicouples this effort included conducting performance tests of these unicouples for hundreds of hours to verify theoretical predictions of the conversion efficiency. The performance predictions of these unicouples are obtained using 1-D and 3-D models developed for that purpose and for estimating the actual performance and side heat losses in the tests conducted at ISNPS. In addition to the performance tests, the development of the 1-D and 3-D models and the development of Advanced Radioisotope Power systems for Beginning-Of-Life (BOM) power of 108 We are carried out at ISNPS. The materials synthesis and fabrication of the unicouples are carried out at JPL. The research conducted at ISNPS is documented in chapters 2-5 and that conducted at JP, in documented in chapter 5. An important consideration in the design and optimization of segmented thermoelectric unicouples (STUs) is determining the relative lengths, cross-section areas, and the interfacial temperatures of the segments of the different materials in the n- and p-legs. These variables are determined using a genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with one-dimensional analytical model of STUs that is developed in chapter 2. Results indicated that when optimized for maximum conversion efficiency, the interfacial temperatures between various segments in a STU are close to those at the intersections of the Figure-Of-Merit (FOM), ZT, curves of the thermoelectric materials of the adjacent segments. When optimizing the STUs for maximum electrical power density, however, the interfacial temperatures are different from those at the intersections of the ZT curves, but close to those at the intersections the characteristic power, CP, curves of the thermoelectric materials of the adjacent segments (CP = T(sup 2)Zk and has a unit of W/m). Results also showed that the number of the segments in the n- and p-legs of the STUs optimized for maximum power density are generally fewer than when the same unicouples are optimized for maximum efficiency. These results are obtained using the 1-D optimization model of STUs that is detailed in chapter 2. A three-dimensional model of STUs is developed and incorporated into the ANSYS commercial software (chapter 3). The governing equations are solved, subject to the prescribed

Temperature and Voltage Offsets in High- ZT Thermoelectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, George S.

2018-06-01

Thermodynamic temperature can take on different meanings. Kinetic temperature is an expectation value and a function of the kinetic energy distribution. Statistical temperature is a parameter of the distribution. Kinetic temperature and statistical temperature, identical in Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics, can differ in other statistics such as those of Fermi-Dirac or Bose-Einstein when a field is present. Thermal equilibrium corresponds to zero statistical temperature gradient, not zero kinetic temperature gradient. Since heat carriers in thermoelectrics are fermions, the difference between these two temperatures may explain voltage and temperature offsets observed during meticulous Seebeck measurements in which the temperature-voltage curve does not go through the origin. In conventional semiconductors, temperature offsets produced by fermionic electrical carriers are not observable because they are shorted by heat phonons in the lattice. In high- ZT materials, however, these offsets have been detected but attributed to faulty laboratory procedures. Additional supporting evidence for spontaneous voltages and temperature gradients includes data collected in epistatic experiments and in the plasma Q-machine. Device fabrication guidelines for testing the hypothesis are suggested including using unipolar junctions stacked in a superlattice, alternating n/ n + and p/ p + junctions, selecting appropriate dimensions, doping, and loading.

Temperature and Voltage Offsets in High-ZT Thermoelectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, George S.

2017-10-01

Thermodynamic temperature can take on different meanings. Kinetic temperature is an expectation value and a function of the kinetic energy distribution. Statistical temperature is a parameter of the distribution. Kinetic temperature and statistical temperature, identical in Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics, can differ in other statistics such as those of Fermi-Dirac or Bose-Einstein when a field is present. Thermal equilibrium corresponds to zero statistical temperature gradient, not zero kinetic temperature gradient. Since heat carriers in thermoelectrics are fermions, the difference between these two temperatures may explain voltage and temperature offsets observed during meticulous Seebeck measurements in which the temperature-voltage curve does not go through the origin. In conventional semiconductors, temperature offsets produced by fermionic electrical carriers are not observable because they are shorted by heat phonons in the lattice. In high-ZT materials, however, these offsets have been detected but attributed to faulty laboratory procedures. Additional supporting evidence for spontaneous voltages and temperature gradients includes data collected in epistatic experiments and in the plasma Q-machine. Device fabrication guidelines for testing the hypothesis are suggested including using unipolar junctions stacked in a superlattice, alternating n/n + and p/p + junctions, selecting appropriate dimensions, doping, and loading.

Novel procedure for characterizing nonlinear systems with memory: 2017 update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuttall, Albert H.; Katz, Richard A.; Hughes, Derke R.; Koch, Robert M.

2017-05-01

The present article discusses novel improvements in nonlinear signal processing made by the prime algorithm developer, Dr. Albert H. Nuttall and co-authors, a consortium of research scientists from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, RI. The algorithm, called the Nuttall-Wiener-Volterra or 'NWV' algorithm is named for its principal contributors [1], [2],[ 3] . The NWV algorithm significantly reduces the computational workload for characterizing nonlinear systems with memory. Following this formulation, two measurement waveforms are required in order to characterize a specified nonlinear system under consideration: (1) an excitation input waveform, x(t) (the transmitted signal); and, (2) a response output waveform, z(t) (the received signal). Given these two measurement waveforms for a given propagation channel, a 'kernel' or 'channel response', h= [h0,h1,h2,h3] between the two measurement points, is computed via a least squares approach that optimizes modeled kernel values by performing a best fit between measured response z(t) and a modeled response y(t). New techniques significantly diminish the exponential growth of the number of computed kernel coefficients at second and third order and alleviate the Curse of Dimensionality (COD) in order to realize practical nonlinear solutions of scientific and engineering interest.

Highly Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Bi/Bi2S3 Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Ge, Zhen-Hua; Qin, Peng; He, DongSheng; Chong, Xiaoyu; Feng, Dan; Ji, Yi-Hong; Feng, Jing; He, Jiaqing

2017-02-08

Bismuth sulfide (Bi 2 S 3 ) has been of high interest for thermoelectric applications due to the high abundance of sulfur on Earth. However, the low electrical conductivity of pristine Bi 2 S 3 results in a low figure of merit (ZT). In this work, Bi 2 S 3 @Bi core-shell nanowires with different Bi shell thicknesses were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The core-shell nanowires were densified to Bi/Bi 2 S 3 nanocomposite by spark plasma sintering (SPS), and the structure of the nanowire was maintained as the nanocomposite due to rapid SPS processing and low sintering temperature. The thermoelectric properties of bulk samples were investigated. The electrical conductivity of a bulk sample after sintering at 673 K for 5 min using Bi 2 S 3 @Bi nanowire powders prepared by treating Bi 2 S 3 nanowires in a hydrazine solution for 3 h is 3 orders of magnitude greater than that of a pristine Bi 2 S 3 sample. The nanocomposite possessed the highest ZT value of 0.36 at 623 K. This represents a new strategy for densifying core-shell powders to enhance their thermoelectric properties.

Bandlimited computerized improvements in characterization of nonlinear systems with memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuttall, Albert H.; Katz, Richard A.; Hughes, Derke R.; Koch, Robert M.

2016-05-01

The present article discusses some inroads in nonlinear signal processing made by the prime algorithm developer, Dr. Albert H. Nuttall and co-authors, a consortium of research scientists from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, RI. The algorithm, called the Nuttall-Wiener-Volterra 'NWV' algorithm is named for its principal contributors [1], [2],[ 3] over many years of developmental research. The NWV algorithm significantly reduces the computational workload for characterizing nonlinear systems with memory. Following this formulation, two measurement waveforms on the system are required in order to characterize a specified nonlinear system under consideration: (1) an excitation input waveform, x(t) (the transmitted signal); and, (2) a response output waveform, z(t) (the received signal). Given these two measurement waveforms for a given propagation channel, a 'kernel' or 'channel response', h= [h0,h1,h2,h3] between the two measurement points, is computed via a least squares approach that optimizes modeled kernel values by performing a best fit between measured response z(t) and a modeled response y(t). New techniques significantly diminish the exponential growth of the number of computed kernel coefficients at second and third order in order to combat and reasonably alleviate the curse of dimensionality.

Determination of Thermoelectric Module Efficiency A Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Hsin; McCarty, Robin; Salvador, James R.

2014-01-01

The development of thermoelectrics (TE) for energy conversion is in the transition phase from laboratory research to device development. There is an increasing demand to accurately determine the module efficiency, especially for the power generation mode. For many thermoelectrics, the figure of merit, ZT, of the material sometimes cannot be fully realized at the device level. Reliable efficiency testing of thermoelectric modules is important to assess the device ZT and provide the end-users with realistic values on how much power can be generated under specific conditions. We conducted a general survey of efficiency testing devices and their performance. The resultsmore » indicated the lack of industry standards and test procedures. This study included a commercial test system and several laboratory systems. Most systems are based on the heat flow meter method and some are based on the Harman method. They are usually reproducible in evaluating thermoelectric modules. However, cross-checking among different systems often showed large errors that are likely caused by unaccounted heat loss and thermal resistance. Efficiency testing is an important area for the thermoelectric community to focus on. A follow-up international standardization effort is planned.« less

Enhanced thermoelectric properties via oxygen non-stoichiometry in La2NiO4 and SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardo, Victor; Botana, Antia S.; Bach, Paul M.; Leboran, Victor; Rivadulla, Francisco; Baldomir, Daniel

2013-03-01

We present the results of transport properties calculations and experiments on various oxides. A large enhancement of the thermoelectric properties is predicted[1] via ab initio calculations for La2NiO4+δ, with electronic-only thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) values exceeding unity for oxygen excess δ <= 0.10. The effects of lattice strain (caused, e.g. by growth of thin films on different substrates) enhance even further the thermoelectric response. A similar result is obtained at very low electron-doping in bulk SrTiO3 via oxygen removal. This is analyzed experimentally via thermal annealing that depletes oxygen (~ 1 oxygen vacancy per 106 unit cells). In both these systems, the increase in conductivity reached in the metallic limit retains a large thermopower, with the corresponding enhancement of zT . In the case of SrTiO3, experiments indicate[2] that such a small oxygen vacancy level reduces drastically the thermal conductivity by introducing random scattering centers. In the talk, we will discuss the electronic structure origin of the enhancement of the thermoelectric response and how this can be tuned. Results are general and applicable to other non-stoichiometric oxides.

Towards a high thermoelectric performance in rare-earth substituted SrTiO3: effects provided by strongly-reducing sintering conditions.

PubMed

Kovalevsky, A V; Yaremchenko, A A; Populoh, S; Thiel, P; Fagg, D P; Weidenkaff, A; Frade, J R

2014-12-28

Donor-substituted strontium titanate ceramics demonstrate one of the most promising performances among n-type oxide thermoelectrics. Here we report a marked improvement of the thermoelectric properties in rare-earth substituted titanates Sr0.9R0.1TiO3±δ (R = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, Y) to achieve maximal ZT values of as high as 0.42 at 1190 K < T < 1225 K, prepared via a conventional solid state route followed by sintering under strongly reducing conditions (10%H2-90%N2, 1773 K). As a result of complex defect chemistry, both electrical and thermal properties were found to be dependent on the nature of the rare-earth cation and exhibit an apparent correlation with the unit cell size. High power factors of 1350-1550 μW m(-1) K(-2) at 400-550 K were observed for R = Nd, Sm, Pr and Y, being among the largest reported so far for n-type conducting bulk-ceramic SrTiO3-based materials. Attractive ZT values at high temperatures arise primarily from low thermal conductivity, which, in turn, stem from effective phonon scattering in oxygen-deficient perovskite layers formed upon reduction. The results suggest that highly-reducing conditions are essential and should be employed, whenever possible, in other related micro/nanostructural engineering approaches to suppress the thermal conductivity in target titanate-based ceramics.

Effect of multinary substitution on electronic and transport properties of TiCoSb based half-Heusler alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Mukesh K.; Ravindran, P.

2018-05-01

The electronic structures of TixZrx/2CoPbxTex, TixZrx/2Hfx/2CoPbxTex (x = 0.5), and the parent compound TiCoSb were investigated using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method. The thermoelectric transport properties of these alloys are calculated on the basis of semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory. From the band structure calculations we show that the substitution of Zr,Hf in the Ti site and Pb and Te in the Sb site lower the band gap value and also change the indirect band (IB) gap of TiCoSb to the direct band (DB) gap. The calculated band gap of TiCoSb, TixZrx/2CoPbxTex, and TixZrx/2Hfx/2CoPbxTex are 1.04 eV (IB), 0.92 eV (DB), and 0.93 eV (DB), respectively. All these alloys follow the empirical rule of 18 valence-electron content which is essential for bringing semiconductivity in half Heusler alloys. It is shown that the substitution of Hf at the Ti site improve the ZT value (˜1.05) at room temperature, whereas there is no significant difference in ZT is found at higher temperature. Based on the calculated thermoelectric transport properties, we conclude that the appropriate concentration of Hf substitution can further improve the thermoelectric performance of TixZrx/2Hfx/2CoPbxTex.

Estimation of a Constant False Alarm Rate Processing Loss for a High-Resolution Maritime Radar System

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-01

a sample with clutter of mean level y0 and noise of variance σ 2, with a threshold CACA zt β= . Using the results presented in [15, 16, 23], it can...level y0 and noise of variance σ 2, with a threshold CACA zt β= . Using (3.107) and (3.98), the expression for the expected Pd of a Swerling 2 target can

Thermoelectric properties of semiconductor nanowire networks

DOE PAGES

Roslyak, Oleksiy; Piryatinski, Andrei

2016-03-28

To examine the thermoelectric (TE) properties of a semiconductor nanowire (NW) network, we propose a theoretical approach mapping the TE network on a two-port network. In contrast to a conventional single-port (i.e., resistor)network model, our model allows for large scale calculations showing convergence of TE figure of merit, ZT, with an increasing number of junctions. Using this model, numerical simulations are performed for the Bi 2Te 3 branched nanowire (BNW) and Cayley tree NW (CTNW) network. We find that the phonon scattering at the network junctions plays a dominant role in enhancing the network ZT. Specifically, disordered BNW and CTNWmore » demonstrate an order of magnitude higher ZT enhancement compared to their ordered counterparts. Formation of preferential TE pathways in CTNW makes the network effectively behave as its BNW counterpart. In conclusion, we provide formalism for simulating large scale nanowire networks hinged upon experimentally measurable TE parameters of a single T-junction.« less

Large-scale production of (GeTe) x (AgSbTe 2) 100$-$x (x=75, 80, 85, 90) with enhanced thermoelectric properties via gas-atomization and spark plasma sintering

DOE PAGES

Kim, Hyo-Seob; Ames Lab., Ames, IA; Dharmaiah, Peyala; ...

2017-01-30

(GeTe) x(AgSbTe 2) 100$-$x: TAGS thermoelectrics are an attractive class of materials due to their combination of non-toxicity and good conversion efficiency at mid-temperature ranges. Here in the present work, we have utilized energy and time efficient high-pressure gas atomization and spark-plasma sintering techniques for large-scale preparation of samples with varying composition (i.e., (GeTe) x(AgSbTe 2) 100$-$x where x = 75, 80, 85, and 90). High-temperature x-ray diffraction was used to understand the phase transformation mechanism of the as-atomized powders. Detailed high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of the sintered samples revealed the presence of nanoscale precipitates, antiphase, and twin boundaries. Themore » nanoscale twins and antiphase boundaries serve as phonon scattering centers, leading to the reduction of total thermal conductivity in TAGS-80 and 90 samples. The maximum ZT obtained was 1.56 at 623 K for TAGS-90, which was ~94% improvement compared to values previously reported. The presence of the twin boundaries also resulted in a high fracture toughness (K IC) of the TAGS-90 sample due to inhibition of dislocation movement at the twin boundary.« less

Effects of Mev Si Ions and Thermal Annealing on Thermoelectric and Optical Properties of SiO2/SiO2+Ge Multi-nanolayer thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budak, S.; Alim, M. A.; Bhattacharjee, S.; Muntele, C.

Thermoelectric generator devices have been prepared from 200 alternating layers of SiO2/SiO2+Ge superlattice films using DC/RF magnetron sputtering. The 5 MeV Si ionsbombardmenthasbeen performed using the AAMU Pelletron ion beam accelerator to formquantum dots and / or quantum clusters in the multi-layer superlattice thin films to decrease the cross-plane thermal conductivity, increase the cross-plane Seebeck coefficient and increase the cross-plane electrical conductivity to increase the figure of merit, ZT. The fabricated devices have been annealed at the different temperatures to tailor the thermoelectric and optical properties of the superlattice thin film systems. While the temperature increased, the Seebeck coefficient continued to increase and reached the maximum value of -25 μV/K at the fluenceof 5x1013 ions/cm2. The decrease in resistivity has been seen between the fluence of 1x1013 ions/cm2 and 5x1013 ions/cm2. Transport properties like Hall coefficient, density and mobility did not change at all fluences. Impedance spectroscopy has been used to characterize the multi-junction thermoelectric devices. The loci obtained in the C*-plane for these data indicate non-Debye type relaxation displaying the presence of the depression parameter.

Pyroelectric energy conversion with large energy and power density in relaxor ferroelectric thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandya, Shishir; Wilbur, Joshua; Kim, Jieun; Gao, Ran; Dasgupta, Arvind; Dames, Chris; Martin, Lane W.

2018-05-01

The need for efficient energy utilization is driving research into ways to harvest ubiquitous waste heat. Here, we explore pyroelectric energy conversion from low-grade thermal sources that exploits strong field- and temperature-induced polarization susceptibilities in the relaxor ferroelectric 0.68Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.32PbTiO3. Electric-field-driven enhancement of the pyroelectric response (as large as -550 μC m-2 K-1) and suppression of the dielectric response (by 72%) yield substantial figures of merit for pyroelectric energy conversion. Field- and temperature-dependent pyroelectric measurements highlight the role of polarization rotation and field-induced polarization in mediating these effects. Solid-state, thin-film devices that convert low-grade heat into electrical energy are demonstrated using pyroelectric Ericsson cycles, and optimized to yield maximum energy density, power density and efficiency of 1.06 J cm-3, 526 W cm-3 and 19% of Carnot, respectively; the highest values reported to date and equivalent to the performance of a thermoelectric with an effective ZT ≈ 1.16 for a temperature change of 10 K. Our findings suggest that pyroelectric devices may be competitive with thermoelectric devices for low-grade thermal harvesting.

Chemical Potential Tuning and Enhancement of Thermoelectric Properties in Indium Selenides.

PubMed

Rhyee, Jong-Soo; Kim, Jin Hee

2015-03-20

Researchers have long been searching for the materials to enhance thermoelectric performance in terms of nano scale approach in order to realize phonon-glass-electron-crystal and quantum confinement effects. Peierls distortion can be a pathway to enhance thermoelectric figure-of-merit ZT by employing natural nano-wire-like electronic and thermal transport. The phonon-softening known as Kohn anomaly, and Peierls lattice distortion decrease phonon energy and increase phonon scattering, respectively, and, as a result, they lower thermal conductivity. The quasi-one-dimensional electrical transport from anisotropic band structure ensures high Seebeck coefficient in Indium Selenide. The routes for high ZT materials development of In₄Se₃ - δ are discussed from quasi-one-dimensional property and electronic band structure calculation to materials synthesis, crystal growth, and their thermoelectric properties investigations. The thermoelectric properties of In₄Se₃ - δ can be enhanced by electron doping, as suggested from the Boltzmann transport calculation. Regarding the enhancement of chemical potential, the chlorine doped In₄Se₃ - δ Cl 0.03 compound exhibits high ZT over a wide temperature range and shows state-of-the-art thermoelectric performance of ZT = 1.53 at 450 °C as an n -type material. It was proven that multiple elements doping can enhance chemical potential further. Here, we discuss the recent progress on the enhancement of thermoelectric properties in Indium Selenides by increasing chemical potential.

Accuracy Assessment for the Auxillary Tracking System

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

Auxiliary Tracking System (ATS), paper prepared for evaluation of ATS design review, 28 June, 1990. Anton , H., and Rorres, C., Elementary Linear Algebra with...are linearized around the trial value (XT6, YT,, Zro), shown in Equation 3.16, where 10 means evaluated at point "o". The OR1aI * YaT- I T.) ZR (ZT...3.16) partial derivatives are listed in Equations 3.17 through 3.19. 8XR.[ o 7.-OR1 [ .XT-XL (3.17) aOR., ZTo-Z 1 (3.19) aZTIo R. The linearized

Circadian rhythm disruption by a novel running wheel: Roles of exercise and arousal in blockade of the luteinizing hormone surge

PubMed Central

Duncan, Marilyn J.; Franklin, Kathleen M.; Peng, Xiaoli; Yun, Christopher; Legan, Sandra J.

2014-01-01

Exposure of proestrous Syrian hamsters to a new room, cage, and novel running wheel blocks the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge until the next day in ~75% of hamsters (Legan et al, 2010) [1]. The studies described here tested the hypotheses that 1) exercise and/or 2) orexinergic neurotransmission mediate novel wheel blockade of the LH surge and circadian phase advances. Female hamsters were exposed to a 14L:10D photoperiod and activity rhythms were monitored with infra-red detectors. In Expt. 1, to test the effect of exercise, hamsters received jugular cannulae and on the next day, proestrus (Day 1), shortly before zeitgeber time 5 (ZT 5, 7 hours before lights-off) the hamsters were transported to the laboratory. After obtaining a blood sample at ZT 5, the hamsters were transferred to a new cage with a novel wheel that was either freely rotating (unlocked), or locked until ZT 9, and exposed to constant darkness (DD). Blood samples were collected hourly for 2 days from ZT 5–11 under red light for determination of plasma LH levels by radioimmunoassay. Running rhythms were monitored continuously for the next 10–14 days. The locked wheels were as effective as unlocked wheels in blocking LH surges (no Day 1 LH surge in 6/9 versus 8/8 hamsters, P>0.05) and phase advances in the activity rhythms did not differ between the groups (P= 0.28), suggesting that intense exercise is not essential for novel wheel blockade and phase advance of the proestrous LH surge. Expt. 2 tested whether orexin neurotransmission is essential for these effects. Hamsters were treated the same as in Expt. 1 except they were injected (i.p.) at ZT 4.5 and 5 with either the orexin 1 receptor antagonist SB334867 (15 mg/kg per injection) or vehicle (25% DMSO in 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HCD). SB-334867 inhibited novel wheel blockade of the LH surge (surges blocked in 2/6 SB334867-injected animals versus 16/18 vehicle-injected animals, P<0.02) and also inhibited wheel running and circadian phase shifts, indicating that activation of orexin 1 receptors is necessary for these effects. Expt. 3 tested the hypothesis that novel wheel exposure activates orexin neurons. Proestrous hamsters were transferred at ZT 5 to a nearby room within the animal facility and were exposed to a new cage with a locked or unlocked novel wheel or left in their home cages. At ZT 8, the hamsters were anesthetized, blood was withdrawn, they were perfused with fixative and brains were removed for immunohistochemical localization of Fos, GnRH, and orexin. Exposure to a wheel, whether locked or unlocked, suppressed circulating LH concentrations at ZT 8, decreased the proportion of Fos-activated GnRH neurons, and increased Fos-immunoreactive orexin cells. Unlocked wheels had greater effects than locked wheels on all three endpoints. Thus in a familiar environment, exercise potentiated the effect of the novel wheel on Fos expression because a locked wheel was not a sufficient stimulus to block the LH surge. In conclusion, these studies indicate that novel wheel exposure activates orexin neurons and that blockade of orexin 1 receptors prevents novel wheel blockade of the LH surge. These findings are consistent with a role for both exercise and arousal in mediating novel wheel blockade of the LH surge. PMID:24727338

Spontaneous sleep-wake cycle and sleep deprivation differently induce Bdnf1, Bdnf4 and Bdnf9a DNA methylation and transcripts levels in the basal forebrain and frontal cortex in rats.

PubMed

Ventskovska, Olena; Porkka-Heiskanen, Tarja; Karpova, Nina N

2015-04-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) regulates neuronal plasticity, slow wave activity and sleep homeostasis. Environmental stimuli control Bdnf expression through epigenetic mechanisms, but there are no data on epigenetic regulation of Bdnf by sleep or sleep deprivation. Here we investigated whether 5-methylcytosine (5mC) DNA modification at Bdnf promoters p1, p4 and p9 influences Bdnf1, Bdnf4 and Bdnf9a expression during the normal inactive phase or after sleep deprivation (SD) (3, 6 and 12 h, end-times being ZT3, ZT6 and ZT12) in rats in two brain areas involved in sleep regulation, the basal forebrain and cortex. We found a daytime variation in cortical Bdnf expression: Bdnf1 expression was highest at ZT6 and Bdnf4 lowest at ZT12. Such variation was not observed in the basal forebrain. Also Bdnf p1 and p9 methylation levels differed only in the cortex, while Bdnf p4 methylation did not vary in either area. Factorial analysis revealed that sleep deprivation significantly induced Bdnf1 and Bdnf4 with the similar pattern for Bdnf9a in both basal forebrain and cortex; 12 h of sleep deprivation decreased 5mC levels at the cortical Bdnf p4 and p9. Regression analysis between the 5mC promoter levels and the corresponding Bdnf transcript expression revealed significant negative correlations for the basal forebrain Bdnf1 and cortical Bdnf9a transcripts in only non-deprived rats, while these correlations were lost after sleep deprivation. Our results suggest that Bdnf transcription during the light phase of undisturbed sleep-wake cycle but not after SD is regulated at least partially by brain site-specific DNA methylation. © 2014 European Sleep Research Society.

Enhancement of Thermoelectric Properties in Cold Pressed Nickel Doped Bismuth Sulfide Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitriani, Fitriani; Said, Suhana Mohd; Rozali, Shaifulazuar; Salleh, Mohd Faiz Mohd; Sabri, Mohd Faizul Mohd; Bui, Duc Long; Nakayama, Tadachika; Raihan, Ovik; Megat Hasnan, Megat Muhammad Ikhsan; Bashir, Mohamed Bashir Ali; Kamal, Farhan

2018-05-01

Nanostructured Ni doped Bi2S3 (Bi2-xNixS3, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.07) is explored as a candidate for telluride free thermoelectric material, through a combination process of mechanical alloying with subsequent consolidation by cold pressing followed with a sintering process. The cold pressing method was found to impact the thermoelectric properties in two ways: (1) introduction of the dopant atom in the interstitial sites of the crystal lattice which results in an increase in carrier concentration, and (2) introduction of a porous structure which reduces the thermal conductivity. The electrical resistivity of Bi2S3 was decreased by adding Ni atoms, which shows a minimum value of 2.35 × 10-3 Ω m at 300 °C for Bi1.99Ni0.01S3 sample. The presence of porous structures gives a significant effect on reduction of thermal conductivity, by a reduction of 59.6% compared to a high density Bi2S3. The thermal conductivity of Bi2-xNixS3 ranges from 0.31 to 0.52 W/m K in the temperature range of 27 °C (RT) to 300 °C with the lowest κ values of Bi2S3 compared to the previous works. A maximum ZT value of 0.13 at 300 °C was achieved for Bi1.99Ni0.01S3 sample, which is about 2.6 times higher than (0.05) of Bi2S3 sample. This work show an optimization pathway to improve thermoelectric performance of Bi2S3 through Ni doping and introduction of porosity.

Processing and nanostructure influences on mechanical properties of thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Robert David

Thermoelectric (TE) materials are materials that can generate an electric current from a thermal gradient, with possible service in recovery of waste heat such as engine exhaust. Significant progress has been made in improving TE conversion efficiency, typically reported according to the figure of merit, ZT, with several recent papers publishing ZT values above 2. Furthermore, cost reductions may be made by the use of lower cost elements such as Mg, Si, Sn, Pb, Se and S in TE materials, while achieving ZT values between 1.3 and 1.8. To be used in a device, the thermoelectric material must be able to withstand the applied thermal and mechanical forces without failure. However, these materials are brittle, with low fracture toughness typically less than 1.5 MPa-m1/2, and often less than 0.5 MPa-m1/2. For comparison, window glass is approximately 0.75 MPa-m1/2. They have been optimized with nanoprecipitates, nanoparticles, doping, alterations in stoichiometry, powder processing and other techniques, all of which may alter the mechanical properties. In this study, the effect of SiC nanoparticle additions in Mg2Si, SnTe and Ag nanoparticle additions in the skutterudite Ba0.3Co 4Sb12 on the elastic moduli, hardness and fracture toughness are measured. Large changes (˜20%) in the elastic moduli in SnTe 1+x as a function of x at 0 and 0.016 are shown. The effect on mechanical properties of doping and precipitates of CdS or ZnS in a PbS or PbSe matrix have been reported. Changes in sintering behavior of the skutterudite with the Ag nanoparticle additions were explored. Possible liquid phase sintering, with associated benefits in lower processing temperature, faster densification and lower cost, has been shown. A technique has been proposed for determining additional liquid phase sintering aids in other TE materials. The effects of porosity, grain size, powder processing method, and sintering method were explored with YbAl3 and Ba0.3Co4Sb 12, with the porosity dependence of the elastic moduli reported. Only one other TE material has the porosity dependence of the elastic moduli previously reported in the literature, lead-antimony-silver-tellurium (LAST), and the effect of different powder processing and sintering methods has never been reported previously on TE materials.

Sparse Bayesian Information Filters for Localization and Mapping

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

a set of smaller, more manageable maps [76, 51, 139, 77, 12]. These appropriately-named submap algorithms greatly reduce the effects of map size on...An intuitive way of dealing with this limitation is to divide the world into numerous sub-environments, each comprised of a more manageable number of...p (xt, M I z t , u t) = p (M I xt, zt) • p (xt zt, ut) (2.16) 6 This assumes knowledge of the mean, which is necessary for observations that are

Enhanced thermoelectric performance through grain boundary engineering in quaternary chalcogenide Cu2ZnSnSe4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yingcai; Liu, Yong; Tan, Xing; Ren, Guangkun; Yu, Meijuan; Hu, Tiandou; Marcelli, Augusto; Xu, Wei

2018-04-01

Quaternary chalcogenide Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) is a promising wide band-gap p-type thermoelectric material. The structure and thermoelectric properties of lead substituted Cu2ZnSn1-xPbxSe4 are investigated. Lead primarily exists in the framework of PbSe as demonstrated by x-ray diffraction and calculation of x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. The second phase distributes at the boundaries of CZTSe with thickness in several hundreds of nanometer. With appropriate grain boundary engineering, the enhancement of power factor and a decrease of thermal conductivity can be achieved simultaneously. As a result, a maximum figure of merit zT of 0.45 is obtained for the sample with x=0.02 at 723K.

From thermoelectric bulk to nanomaterials: Current progress for Bi 2 Te 3 and CoSb 3: From thermoelectric bulk to nanomaterials

DOE PAGES

Peranio, N.; Eibl, O.; Bäßler, S.; ...

2015-10-29

We synthesized Bi 2Te 3 and CoSb 3 based nanomaterials and their thermoelectric, structural, and vibrational properties analyzed to assess and reduce ZT-limiting mechanisms. The same preparation and/or characterization methods were applied in the different materials systems. Single-crystalline, ternary p-type Bi 15Sb 29Te 56, and n-type Bi 38Te 55Se 7 nanowires with power factors comparable to nanostructured bulkmaterialswere prepared by potential-pulsed electrochemical deposition in a nanostructured Al 2O 3 matrix. p-type Sb 2Te 3, n-type Bi 2Te 3, and n-type CoSb 3 thin films were grown at room temperature using molecular beam epitaxy and were subsequently annealed at elevated temperatures.more » It yielded polycrystalline, single phase thin films with optimized charge carrier densities. In CoSb 3 thin films the speed of sound could be reduced by filling the cage structure with Yb and alloying with Fe yielded p-type material. Bi 2(Te 0.91Se 0.09) 3/SiC and (Bi 0.26Sb 0.74) 2Te 3/SiC nanocomposites with low thermal conductivities and ZT values larger than 1 were prepared by spark plasma sintering. Nanostructure, texture, chemical composition, as well as electronic and phononic excitations were investigated by X-ray diffraction, nuclear resonance scattering, inelastic neutron scattering, M ossbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, for Bi 2Te 3 materials, ab-initio calculations together with equilibrium and non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations for point defects yielded their formation energies and their effect on lattice thermal conductivity, respectively. Current advances in thermoelectric Bi 2Te 3 and CoSb 3 based nanomaterials are summarized. Advanced synthesis and characterization methods and theoreticalmodelingwere combined to assess and reduce ZT-limiting mechanisms in these materials.« less

Dimensional crossover and thermoelectric properties in CeTe2-xSbx single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhyee, Jong-Soo; Lee, Kyung Eun; Nyeong Kim, Jae; Shim, Ji Hoon; Min, Byeong Hun; Kwon, Yong Seung

2013-03-01

Several years before, we proposed that the charge density wave is a new pathway for high thermoelectric performance in In4Se3-x bulk crystalline materials. (Nature v.459, p. 965, 2009) Recently, from the increase of the chemical potential by halogen doped In4Se3-xH0.03 (H =Halogen elements) crystals, we achieved high ZT (maximum ZT 1.53) over a wide temperature range. (Adv. Mater. v.23, p.2191, 2011) Here we demonstrate the low dimensionality increases power factor in CeTe2-xSbx single crystals. The band structures of CeTe2 show the 2-dimensional (2D) Fermi surface nesting behavior as well as a 3-dimensional (3D) electron Fermi surface hindering the perfect charge density wave (CDW) gap opening. By hole doping with the substitution of Sb at the Te-site, the 3D-like Fermi surface disappears and the 2D perfect CDW gap opening enhances the power factor up to x = 0.1. With further hole doping, the Fermi surfaces become 3-dimensional structure with heavy hole bands. The enhancement of the power factor is observed near the dimensional crossover of CDW, at x = 0.1, where the CDW gap is maximized. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program (2011-0021335), Mid-career Research Program (Strategy) (No. 2012R1A2A1A03005174) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and TJ Park Junior Faculty Fellowship funded by the POSCO TJ Park Foundation.

Low Sound Velocity Contributing to the High Thermoelectric Performance of Ag8SnSe6

PubMed Central

Li, Wen; Lin, Siqi; Ge, Binghui; Yang, Jiong; Zhang, Wenqing

2016-01-01

Conventional strategies for advancing thermoelectrics by minimizing the lattice thermal conductivity focus on phonon scattering for a short mean free path. Here, a design of slow phonon propagation as an effective approach for high‐performance thermoelectrics is shown. Taking Ag8SnSe6 as an example, which shows one of the lowest sound velocities among known thermoelectric semiconductors, the lattice thermal conductivity is found to be as low as 0.2 W m−1 K−1 in the entire temperature range. As a result, a peak thermoelectric figure of merit zT > 1.2 and an average zT as high as ≈0.8 are achieved in Nb‐doped materials, without relying on a high thermoelectric power factor. This work demonstrates not only a guiding principle of low sound velocity for minimal lattice thermal conductivity and therefore high zT, but also argyrodite compounds as promising thermoelectric materials with weak chemical bonds and heavy constituent elements. PMID:27980995

Low Sound Velocity Contributing to the High Thermoelectric Performance of Ag8SnSe6.

PubMed

Li, Wen; Lin, Siqi; Ge, Binghui; Yang, Jiong; Zhang, Wenqing; Pei, Yanzhong

2016-11-01

Conventional strategies for advancing thermoelectrics by minimizing the lattice thermal conductivity focus on phonon scattering for a short mean free path. Here, a design of slow phonon propagation as an effective approach for high-performance thermoelectrics is shown. Taking Ag 8 SnSe 6 as an example, which shows one of the lowest sound velocities among known thermoelectric semiconductors, the lattice thermal conductivity is found to be as low as 0.2 W m -1 K -1 in the entire temperature range. As a result, a peak thermoelectric figure of merit zT > 1.2 and an average zT as high as ≈0.8 are achieved in Nb-doped materials, without relying on a high thermoelectric power factor. This work demonstrates not only a guiding principle of low sound velocity for minimal lattice thermal conductivity and therefore high zT , but also argyrodite compounds as promising thermoelectric materials with weak chemical bonds and heavy constituent elements.

Vertical power MOS transistor as a thermoelectric quasi-nanowire device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roizin, Gregory; Beeri, Ofer; Peretz, Mor Mordechai; Gelbstein, Yaniv

2016-12-01

Nano-materials exhibit superior performance over bulk materials in a variety of applications such as direct heat to electricity thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and many more. However, a gap still exists for the integration of these nano-materials into practical applications. This study explores the feasibility of utilizing the advantages of nano-materials' thermo-electric properties, using regular bulk technology. Present-day TEGs are often applied by dedicated thermoelectric materials such as semiconductor alloys (e.g., PbTe, BiTe) whereas the standard semiconductor materials such as the doped silicon have not been widely addressed, with limited exceptions of nanowires. This study attempts to close the gap between the nano-materials' properties and the well-established bulk devices, approached for the first time by exploiting the nano-metric dimensions of the conductive channel in metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures. A significantly higher electrical current than expected from a bulk silicon device has been experimentally measured as a result of the application of a positive gate voltage and a temperature gradient between the "source" and the "drain" terminals of a commercial NMOS transistor. This finding implies on a "quasi-nanowire" behaviour of the transistor channel, which can be easily controlled by the transistor's gate voltage that is applied. This phenomenon enables a considerable improvement of silicon based TEGs, fabricated by traditional silicon technology. Four times higher ZT values (TEG quality factor) compared to conventional bulk silicon have been observed for an off-the-shelf silicon device. By optimizing the device, it is believed that even higher ZT values can be achieved.

Thermal Stability of Zone Melting p-Type (Bi, Sb)2Te3 Ingots and Comparison with the Corresponding Powder Metallurgy Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Chengpeng; Fan, Xi'an; Hu, Jie; Feng, Bo; Xiang, Qiusheng; Li, Guangqiang; Li, Yawei; He, Zhu

2018-04-01

During the past few decades, Bi2Te3-based alloys have been investigated extensively because of their promising application in the area of low temperature waste heat thermoelectric power generation. However, their thermal stability must be evaluated to explore the appropriate service temperature. In this work, the thermal stability of zone melting p-type (Bi, Sb)2Te3-based ingots was investigated under different annealing treatment conditions. The effect of service temperature on the thermoelectric properties and hardness of the samples was also discussed in detail. The results showed that the grain size, density, dimension size and mass remained nearly unchanged when the service temperature was below 523 K, which suggested that the geometry size of zone melting p-type (Bi, Sb)2Te3-based materials was stable below 523 K. The power factor and Vickers hardness of the ingots also changed little and maintained good thermal stability. Unfortunately, the thermal conductivity increased with increasing annealing temperature, which resulted in an obvious decrease of the zT value. In addition, the thermal stabilities of the zone melting p-type (Bi, Sb)2Te3-based materials and the corresponding powder metallurgy samples were also compared. All evidence implied that the thermal stabilities of the zone-melted (ZMed) p-type (Bi, Sb)2Te3 ingots in terms of crystal structure, geometry size, power factor (PF) and hardness were better than those of the corresponding powder metallurgy samples. However, their thermal stabilities in terms of zT values were similar under different annealing temperatures.

Contrasting the Role of Mg and Ba Doping on the Microstructure and Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type AgSbSe2.

PubMed

Liu, Zihang; Shuai, Jing; Geng, Huiyuan; Mao, Jun; Feng, Yan; Zhao, Xu; Meng, Xianfu; He, Ran; Cai, Wei; Sui, Jiehe

2015-10-21

Microstructure has a critical influence on the mechanical and functional properties. For thermoelectric materials, deep understanding of the relationship of microstructure and thermoelectric properties will enable the rational optimization of the ZT value and efficiency. Herein, taking AgSbSe2 as an example, we first report a different role of alkaline-earth metal ions (Mg(2+) and Ba(2+)) doping in the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of p-type AgSbSe2. For Mg doping, it monotonously increases the carrier concentration and then reduces the electrical resistivity, leading to a substantially enhanced power factor in comparison to those of other dopant elements (Bi(3+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), Na(+), and Cd(2+)) in the AgSbSe2 system. Meanwhile, the lattice thermal conductivity is gradually suppressed by point defects scattering. In contrast, the electrical resistivity first decreases and then slightly rises with the increased Ba-doping concentrations due to the presence of BaSe3 nanoprecipitates, exhibiting a different variation tendency compared with the corresponding Mg-doped samples. More significantly, the total thermal conductivity is obviously reduced with the increased Ba-doping concentrations partially because of the strong scattering of medium and long wavelength phonons via the nanoprecipitates, consistent with the theoretical calculation and analysis. Collectively, ZT value ∼1 at 673 K and calculated leg efficiency ∼8.5% with Tc = 300 K and Th = 673 K are obtained for both AgSb0.98Mg0.02Se2 and AgSb0.98Ba0.02Se2 samples.

Growth Patterns Inferred from Anatomical Records 1

PubMed Central

Silk, Wendy Kuhn; Lord, Elizabeth M.; Eckard, Kathleen J.

1989-01-01

Our objective was to test whether accurate growth analyses can be obtained from anatomical records and some mathematical formulas. Roots of Zea mays L. were grown at one of two temperatures (19°C or 29°C) and were prepared with standard techniques for light microscopy. Positions of cell walls were digitized from micrographs. The digitized data were averaged and smoothed and used in formulas to estimate growth trajectories, Z(t), velocities, v(z), and strain rates, r(z), where Z(t) is the location occupied by the cellular particle at time t; and v(z) and r(z) are, respectively, the fields of growth velocity and strain rate. The relationships tested are: for Z(t), t = n * c; v(z) = l(z) * f; and r(z) = f * (∂/∂z (l(z))). In the formulas, n represents the number of cells between the origin and the position Z(t); l(z) is local cell length; the constant c, named the `cellochron,' denotes the time for successive cells to pass a spatial point distal to the meristem; l(z) is local cell length, and f is cell flux. Growth trajectories and velocity fields from the anatomical method are in good agreement with earlier analyses based on marking experiments at the two different temperatures. Growth strain rate fields show an unexpected oscillation which may be due to numerical artifacts or to a real oscillation in cell production rate. Images Figure 2 PMID:16666832

Molecular characterization of prophenoloxidase-1 (PPO1) and the inhibitory effect of kojic acid on phenoloxidase (PO) activity and on the development of Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae).

PubMed

Zhang, H-H; Luo, M-J; Zhang, Q-W; Cai, P-M; Idrees, A; Ji, Q-E; Yang, J-Q; Chen, J-H

2018-06-22

Phenoloxidase (PO) plays a key role in melanin biosynthesis during insect development. Here, we isolated the 2310-bp full-length cDNA of PPO1 from Zeugodacus tau, a destructive horticultural pest. qRT-polymerase chain reaction showed that the ZtPPO1 transcripts were highly expressed during larval-prepupal transition and in the haemolymph. When the larvae were fed a 1.66% kojic acid (KA)-containing diet, the levels of the ZtPPO1 transcripts significantly increased by 2.79- and 3.39-fold in the whole larvae and cuticles, respectively, while the corresponding PO activity was significantly reduced; in addition, the larval and pupal durations were significantly prolonged; pupal weights were lowered; and abnormal phenotypes were observed. An in vitro inhibition experiment indicated that KA was an effective competitive inhibitor of PO in Z. tau. Additionally, the functional analysis showed that 20E could significantly up-regulate the expression of ZtPPO1, induce lower pupal weight, and advance pupation. Knockdown of the ZtPPO1 gene by RNAi significantly decreased mRNA levels after 24 h and led to low pupation rates and incomplete pupae with abnormal phenotypes during the larval-pupal interim period. These results proved that PO is important for the normal growth of Z. tau and that KA can disrupt the development of this pest insect.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Zeugodacus tau (Insecta: Tephritidae) and differentiation of Z. tau species complex by mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene

PubMed Central

Yong, Hoi-Sen; Lim, Phaik-Eem; Eamsobhana, Praphathip

2017-01-01

The tephritid fruit fly Zeugodacus tau (Walker) is a polyphagous fruit pest of economic importance in Asia. Studies based on genetic markers indicate that it forms a species complex. We report here (1) the complete mitogenome of Z. tau from Malaysia and comparison with that of China as well as the mitogenome of other congeners, and (2) the relationship of Z. tau taxa from different geographical regions based on sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. The complete mitogenome of Z. tau had a total length of 15631 bp for the Malaysian specimen (ZT3) and 15835 bp for the China specimen (ZT1), with similar gene order comprising 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes—PCGs, 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and a non-coding A + T-rich control region (D-loop). Based on 13 PCGs and 15 mt-genes, Z. tau NC_027290 (China) and Z. tau ZT1 (China) formed a sister group in the lineage containing also Z. tau ZT3 (Malaysia). Phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences of cox1 gene indicates that the taxa from China, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Z. tau sp. A from Thailand belong to Z. tau sensu stricto. A complete cox1 gene (or 13 PCGs or 15 mt-genes) instead of partial sequence is more appropriate for determining phylogenetic relationship. PMID:29216281

Chemical Potential Tuning and Enhancement of Thermoelectric Properties in Indium Selenides

PubMed Central

Rhyee, Jong-Soo; Kim, Jin Hee

2015-01-01

Researchers have long been searching for the materials to enhance thermoelectric performance in terms of nano scale approach in order to realize phonon-glass-electron-crystal and quantum confinement effects. Peierls distortion can be a pathway to enhance thermoelectric figure-of-merit ZT by employing natural nano-wire-like electronic and thermal transport. The phonon-softening known as Kohn anomaly, and Peierls lattice distortion decrease phonon energy and increase phonon scattering, respectively, and, as a result, they lower thermal conductivity. The quasi-one-dimensional electrical transport from anisotropic band structure ensures high Seebeck coefficient in Indium Selenide. The routes for high ZT materials development of In4Se3−δ are discussed from quasi-one-dimensional property and electronic band structure calculation to materials synthesis, crystal growth, and their thermoelectric properties investigations. The thermoelectric properties of In4Se3−δ can be enhanced by electron doping, as suggested from the Boltzmann transport calculation. Regarding the enhancement of chemical potential, the chlorine doped In4Se3−δCl0.03 compound exhibits high ZT over a wide temperature range and shows state-of-the-art thermoelectric performance of ZT = 1.53 at 450 °C as an n-type material. It was proven that multiple elements doping can enhance chemical potential further. Here, we discuss the recent progress on the enhancement of thermoelectric properties in Indium Selenides by increasing chemical potential. PMID:28788002

Improved Thermoelectric Performance Achieved by Regulating Heterogeneous Phase in Half-Heusler TiNiSn-Based Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jun-Liang; Liu, Chengyan; Miao, Lei; Gao, Jie; Zheng, Yan-yan; Wang, Xiaoyang; Lu, Jiacai; Shu, Mingzheng

2018-06-01

With excellent high-temperature stability (up to 1000 K) and favorable electrical properties for thermoelectric application, TiNiSn-based half-Heusler (HH) alloys are expected to be promising thermoelectric materials for the recovery of waste heat in the temperature ranging from 700 K to 900 K. However, their thermal conductivity is always relatively high (5-10 W/mK), making it difficult to further enhance their thermoelectric figure-of-merit ( ZT). In the past decade, introducing nano-scale secondary phases into the HH alloy matrix has been proven to be feasible for optimizing the thermoelectric performance of TiNiSn. In this study, a series of TiNiSn-based alloys have been successfully synthesized by a simple solid-state reaction. The content and composition of the heterogeneous phase (TiNi2Sn and Sn) is accurately regulated and, as a result, the thermal conductivity successfully reduced from 4.9 W m-1 K-1 to 3.0 Wm-1 K-1 (750 K) due to multi-scale phonon scattering. Consequently, a ZT value of 0.49 is achieved at 750 K in our TiNiSn-based thermoelectric materials. Furthermore, the thermal stability of TiNiSn alloys is enhanced through reducing the Sn substance phase.

Study of the thermoelectric properties of lead selenide doped with boron, gallium, indium, or thallium.

PubMed

Zhang, Qian; Cao, Feng; Lukas, Kevin; Liu, Weishu; Esfarjani, Keivan; Opeil, Cyril; Broido, David; Parker, David; Singh, David J; Chen, Gang; Ren, Zhifeng

2012-10-24

Group IIIA elements (B, Ga, In, and Tl) have been doped into PbSe for enhancement of thermoelectric properties. The electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity were systematically studied. Room-temperature Hall measurements showed an effective increase in the electron concentration upon both Ga and In doping and the hole concentration upon Tl doping to ~7 × 10(19) cm(-3). No resonant doping phenomenon was observed when PbSe was doped with B, Ga, or In. The highest room-temperature power factor ~2.5 × 10(-3) W m(-1) K(-2) was obtained for PbSe doped with 2 atom % B. However, the power factor in B-doped samples decreased with increasing temperature, opposite to the trend for the other dopants. A figure of merit (ZT) of ~1.2 at ~873 K was achieved in PbSe doped with 0.5 atom % Ga or In. With Tl doping, modification of the band structure around the Fermi level helped to increase the Seebeck coefficient, and the lattice thermal conductivity decreased, probably as a result of effective phonon scattering by both the heavy Tl(3+) ions and the increased grain boundary density after ball milling. The highest p-type ZT value was ~1.0 at ~723 K.

Enhancement of thermoelectric figure-of-merit at low temperatures by titanium substitution for hafnium in n-type half-Heuslers Hf0.75-xTixZr0.25NiSn0.99Sb0.01

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joshi, Giri; Dahal, Tulashi; Chen, Shuo

The effect of titanium (Ti) substitution for hafnium (Hf) on thermoelectric properties of (Hf, Zr)-based n-type half-Heuslers: Hf0.75-xTixZr0.25NiSn0.99Sb0.01, has been studied. The samples are made by arc melting followed by ball milling and hot pressing via the nanostructuring approach. A peak thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of ~1.0 is achieved at 500 °C in samples with a composition of Hf0.5Zr0.25Ti0.25NiSn0.99Sb0.01 due to a slight increase in carrier concentration and also a lower thermal conductivity caused by Ti. The ZT values below 500 °C of hot pressed Hf0.5Zr0.25Ti0.25NiSn0.99Sb0.01 samples are significantly higher than those of the same way prepared Hf0.75Zr0.25NiSn0.99Sb0.01 samples at eachmore » temperature, which are very much desired for mid-range temperature applications such as waste heat recovery in automobiles.« less

Enhancement of thermoelectric figure-of-merit at low temperatures by titanium substitution for hafnium in n-type half-Heuslers Hf0.75-xTixZr0.25NiSn0.99Sb0.01

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joshi, Giri; Dahal, Tulashi; Chen, Shuo

The effect of titanium (Ti) substitution for hafnium (Hf) on thermoelectric properties of (Hf, Zr)-based n-type half-Heuslers: Hf 0.75-xTi xZr 0.25NiSn 0.99Sb 0.01, has been studied. The samples are made by arc melting followed by ball milling and hot pressing via the nanostructuring approach. A peak thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of ~1.0 is achieved at 500 °C in samples with a composition of Hf 0.5Zr 0.25Ti 0.25NiSn 0.99Sb 0.01 due to a slight increase in carrier concentration and also a lower thermal conductivity caused by Ti. TheZT values below 500 °C of hot pressed Hf 0.5Zr 0.25Ti 0.25NiSn 0.99Sb 0.01 samplesmore » are significantly higher than those of the same way prepared Hf 0.75Zr 0.25NiSn 0.99Sb 0.01samples at each temperature, which are very much desired for mid-range temperature applications such as waste heat recovery in automobiles.« less

Improved Thermoelectric Performance Achieved by Regulating Heterogeneous Phase in Half-Heusler TiNiSn-Based Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jun-Liang; Liu, Chengyan; Miao, Lei; Gao, Jie; Zheng, Yan-yan; Wang, Xiaoyang; Lu, Jiacai; Shu, Mingzheng

2017-12-01

With excellent high-temperature stability (up to 1000 K) and favorable electrical properties for thermoelectric application, TiNiSn-based half-Heusler (HH) alloys are expected to be promising thermoelectric materials for the recovery of waste heat in the temperature ranging from 700 K to 900 K. However, their thermal conductivity is always relatively high (5-10 W/mK), making it difficult to further enhance their thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT). In the past decade, introducing nano-scale secondary phases into the HH alloy matrix has been proven to be feasible for optimizing the thermoelectric performance of TiNiSn. In this study, a series of TiNiSn-based alloys have been successfully synthesized by a simple solid-state reaction. The content and composition of the heterogeneous phase (TiNi2Sn and Sn) is accurately regulated and, as a result, the thermal conductivity successfully reduced from 4.9 W m-1 K-1 to 3.0 Wm-1 K-1 (750 K) due to multi-scale phonon scattering. Consequently, a ZT value of 0.49 is achieved at 750 K in our TiNiSn-based thermoelectric materials. Furthermore, the thermal stability of TiNiSn alloys is enhanced through reducing the Sn substance phase.

Anisotropic thermoelectric behavior in armchair and zigzag mono- and fewlayer MoS2 in thermoelectric generator applications

PubMed Central

Arab, Abbas; Li, Qiliang

2015-01-01

In this work, we have studied thermoelectric properties of monolayer and fewlayer MoS2 in both armchair and zigzag orientations. Density functional theory (DFT) using non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) method has been implemented to calculate the transmission spectra of mono- and fewlayer MoS2 in armchair and zigzag directions. Phonon transmission spectra are calculated based on parameterization of Stillinger-Weber potential. Thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, is calculated using these electronic and phonon transmission spectra. In general, a thermoelectric generator is composed of thermocouples made of both n-type and p-type legs. Based on our calculations, monolayer MoS2 in armchair orientation is found to have the highest ZT value for both p-type and n-type legs compared to all other armchair and zigzag structures. We have proposed a thermoelectric generator based on monolayer MoS2 in armchair orientation. Moreover, we have studied the effect of various dopant species on thermoelectric current of our proposed generator. Further, we have compared output current of our proposed generator with those of Silicon thin films. Results indicate that thermoelectric current of MoS2 armchair monolayer is several orders of magnitude higher than that of Silicon thin films. PMID:26333948

Large anisotropic thermoelectricity in perovskite related layered structure: SrnNbnO3n+2 (n=4,5)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Akihiro; Kanno, Tsutomu; Takahashi, Kouhei; Yamada, Yuka; Adachi, Hideaki

2010-11-01

We measured the thermal and charge transport properties of perovskite-related layered structures. Strontium-Niobates, which were expressed as SrnNbnO3n+2 (n =4: Sr1.8La0.2Nb2O7, n =5: Sr5Nb5O17), to explore their thermoelectricities and thermal anisotropies. The behaviors of the thermoelectric parameters (thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, resistivity) were strongly anisotropic in all crystallographic axes (a, b, and c) and large anisotropy exists even in the in-plane direction of the layered structure. Especially, along the a-axis in which corner-sharing NbO6 octahedra aligned straightly, contrastive properties were observed between Sr1.8La0.2Nb2O7 and Sr5Nb5O17. For Sr1.8La0.2Nb2O7, a thermally activated charge conduction is pronounced in the temperature dependence of Seebeck coefficient and resistivity, on the other hand, it was a metallic nature for Sr5Nb5O17. In both compounds, ZT results in anisotropic due to the anisotropic properties of thermoelectric parameters, the best performance is commonly observed in the a-axis. The respective ZT values at room temperature are 3.5×10-2 and 3.6×10-3.

Anisotropic thermoelectric behavior in armchair and zigzag mono- and fewlayer MoS2 in thermoelectric generator applications.

PubMed

Arab, Abbas; Li, Qiliang

2015-09-03

In this work, we have studied thermoelectric properties of monolayer and fewlayer MoS2 in both armchair and zigzag orientations. Density functional theory (DFT) using non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method has been implemented to calculate the transmission spectra of mono- and fewlayer MoS2 in armchair and zigzag directions. Phonon transmission spectra are calculated based on parameterization of Stillinger-Weber potential. Thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, is calculated using these electronic and phonon transmission spectra. In general, a thermoelectric generator is composed of thermocouples made of both n-type and p-type legs. Based on our calculations, monolayer MoS2 in armchair orientation is found to have the highest ZT value for both p-type and n-type legs compared to all other armchair and zigzag structures. We have proposed a thermoelectric generator based on monolayer MoS2 in armchair orientation. Moreover, we have studied the effect of various dopant species on thermoelectric current of our proposed generator. Further, we have compared output current of our proposed generator with those of Silicon thin films. Results indicate that thermoelectric current of MoS2 armchair monolayer is several orders of magnitude higher than that of Silicon thin films.

The New Gravity System: Changes in International Gravity Base Values and Anomaly Values

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

t - 1.0 Lf) 00 4. J .- 4 𔃺 Cl G% .zt 00 00 C -4 r- ,-4 C...8217, 0- IA I 40 M - t - -4 000 + ’ ++ aI I + + o O 4. J 0 a (U H, D 00 cl C 4 cU -d-S5 0S 0 4 .- 𔃺 C, ;0 * - . N. LAI n Co + + u a a aa+ + a + U)5---4 L...33 04 > ’ j .0) 0 I AII~ ~x~w .. 0ixC) 0) ) 0, 11 w * j A 14L) J0 j1 ’U o -~o .. 2- >4 wz *>U Lf 0w ’~C -t4 0 ) t 2lulmo .-. 0..-4 -. 1 > .~ U I’ >

Thermoelectric Properties of LaFePO1-xFx and LaFeAsO1-xFx ---Possibility of the Hidden Mass Enhancement of LaFeAsO1-xFx---

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuda, Tetsuji; Hirata, Wataru; Takemori, Akira; Suzuki, Shinnosuke; Saijo, Satoshi; Miyasaka, Shigeki; Tajima, Setsuko

2011-04-01

We investigated thermoelectric properties for polycrystalline oxypnictide LaFePO1-xFx and LaFeAsO1-xFx. The temperature (T) and F-doping dependences of resistivity (ρ) and Seebeck coefficient (S) are quite different between these compounds. In contrast to a monotonic T dependence and an absence of large F-doping dependences of ρ and S for LaFePO1-xFx, the S for LaFeAsO1-xFx for 0

Structural and thermoelectric properties of epitaxially grown Bi2Te3 thin films and superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peranio, N.; Eibl, O.; Nurnus, J.

2006-12-01

Multi-quantum-well structures of Bi2Te3 are predicted to have a high thermoelectric figure of merit ZT. Bi2Te3 thin films and Bi2Te3/Bi2(Te0.88Se0.12)3 superlattices (SLs) were grown epitaxially by molecular beam epitaxy on BaF2 substrates with periods of 12 and 6nm, respectively. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction confirmed a layer-by-layer growth, x-ray diffraction yielded the lattice parameters and SL periods and proved epitaxial growth. The in-plane transport coefficients were measured and the thin films and SL had power factors between 28 and 35μW /cmK2. The lattice thermal conductivity varied between 1.60W/mK for Bi2Te3 thin films and 1.01W/mK for a 10nm SL. The best figures of merit ZT were achieved for the SL; however, the values are slightly smaller than those in bulk materials. Thin films and superlattices were investigated in plan view and cross section by transmission electron microscopy. In the Bi2Te3 thin film and SL the dislocation density was found to be 2×1010cm-2. Bending of the SL with amplitudes of 30nm (12nm SL) and 15nm (6nm SL) and a wavelength of 400nm was determined. Threading dislocations were found with a density greater than 2×109cm-2. The superlattice interfaces are strongly bent in the region of the threading dislocations, undisturbed regions have a maximum lateral sie of 500nm. Thin films and SL showed a structural modulation [natural nanostructure (nns)] with a wavelength of 10nm and a wave vector parallel to (1,0,10). This nns was also observed in Bi2Te3 bulk materials and turned out to be of general character for Bi2Te3. The effect of the microstructure on the thermoelectric properties is discussed. The microstructure is governed by the superlattice, the nns, and the dislocations that are present in the films. Our results indicate that the microstructure directly affects the lattice thermal conductivity. Thermopower and electrical conductivity were found to be negatively correlated and no clear dependence of the two quantities on the microstructure could be found.

Development of Heterostructure Materials for Thermoelectric Device Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

morphology changes as thick QDSLs are grown. Therefore, a correlation of strain and film morphology by x - ray and TEM analysis will be important for...triple axis x - ray analysis and atomic force microscopy (AFM) will be carried out at MIT while thermoelectric measurements will be carried out at...2.5 , zT= S 2CT (1) BI Tt/STo, PbTaSeTe/PbT’ (1) U E QUANTUM DOTS 1* 2.0 SUPERLATTICES SUPsmxrTICS ge. Materials with ZT>>I are of =". x great interest

ATP prevents Woronin bodies from sealing septal pores in unwounded cells of the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici

PubMed Central

Schuster, Martin; Hacker, Christian; Kilaru, Sreedhar; Correia, Ana

2017-01-01

Abstract Septa of filamentous ascomycetes are perforated by septal pores that allow communication between individual hyphal compartments. Upon injury, septal pores are plugged rapidly by Woronin bodies (WBs), thereby preventing extensive cytoplasmic bleeding. The mechanism by which WBs translocate into the pore is not known, but it has been suggested that wound‐induced cytoplasmic bleeding “flushes” WBs into the septal opening. Alternatively, contraction of septum‐associated tethering proteins may pull WBs into the septal pore. Here, we investigate WB dynamics in the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. Ultrastructural studies showed that 3.4 ± 0.2 WBs reside on each side of a septum and that single WBs of 128.5 ± 3.6 nm in diameter seal the septal pore (41 ± 1.5 nm). Live cell imaging of green fluorescent ZtHex1, a major protein in WBs, and the integral plasma membrane protein ZtSso1 confirms WB translocation into the septal pore. This was associated with the occasional formation of a plasma membrane “balloon,” extruding into the dead cell, suggesting that the plasma membrane rapidly seals the wounded septal pore wound. Minor amounts of fluorescent ZtHex1‐enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) appeared associated with the “ballooning” plasma membrane, indicating that cytoplasmic ZtHex1‐eGFP is recruited to the extending plasma membrane. Surprisingly, in ~15% of all cases, WBs moved from the ruptured cell into the septal pore. This translocation against the cytoplasmic flow suggests that an active mechanism drives WB plugging. Indeed, treatment of unwounded and intact cells with the respiration inhibitor carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenyl hydrazone induced WB translocation into the pores. Moreover, carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenyl hydrazone treatment recruited cytoplasmic ZtHex1‐eGFP to the lateral plasma membrane of the cells. Thus, keeping the WBs out of the septal pores, in Z. tritici, is an ATP‐dependent process. PMID:28671740

On the best bandstructure for thermoelectric performance: A Landauer perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Changwook; Kim, Raseong; Lundstrom, Mark S.

2012-06-01

The question of what bandstructure produces the best thermoelectric device performance is revisited from a Landauer perspective. We find that a delta-function transport distribution function (TDF) results in operation at the Mahan-Sofo upper limit for the thermoelectric figure-of-merit, ZT. We show, however, the Mahan-Sofo upper limit itself depends on the bandwidth (BW) of the dispersion, and therefore, a finite BW dispersion produces a higher ZT when the lattice thermal conductivity is finite. Including a realistic model for scattering profoundly changes the results. Instead of a narrow band, we find that a broad BW is best. The prospects of increasing ZT through high valley degeneracy or by distorting the density-of-states are discussed from a Landauer perspective. We conclude that while there is no simple answer to the question of what bandstructure produces the best thermoelectric performance, the important considerations can be expressed in terms of three parameters derived from the bandstructure—the density-of-states, D(E ), the number of channels, M(E ), and the mean-free-path, λ(E ).

Effect of electron-vibration interactions on the thermoelectric efficiency of molecular junctions.

PubMed

Hsu, Bailey C; Chiang, Chi-Wei; Chen, Yu-Chang

2012-07-11

From first-principles approaches, we investigate the thermoelectric efficiency of a molecular junction where a benzene molecule is connected directly to the platinum electrodes. We calculate the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT in the presence of electron-vibration interactions with and without local heating under two scenarios: linear response and finite bias regimes. In the linear response regime, ZT saturates around the electrode temperature T(e) = 25 K in the elastic case, while in the inelastic case we observe a non-saturated and a much larger ZT beyond T(e) = 25 K attributed to the tail of the Fermi-Dirac distribution. In the finite bias regime, the inelastic effects reveal the signatures of the molecular vibrations in the low-temperature regime. The normal modes exhibiting structures in the inelastic profile are characterized by large components of atomic vibrations along the current density direction on top of each individual atom. In all cases, the inclusion of local heating leads to a higher wire temperature T(w) and thus magnifies further the influence of the electron-vibration interactions due to the increased number of local phonons.

Growth Speed and Substitution Effects on Alignment and Thermal Transport Properties of Bi-2212 Textured Superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozabaci, M.; Rasekh, Sh.; Kizilaslan, O.; Madre, M. A.; Sotelo, A.; Yakinci, M. E.

2015-01-01

Fe-substituted superconducting thin BiSrCaCuO rods with nominal compositions of Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2- x Fe x O8+ δ ( x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1) were fabricated using the laser floating zone technique at two different growth speeds, 15 mm h-1 and 30 mm h-1. The influences of growth speed and Fe substitution on the grain alignment in the rods were evaluated by means of x-ray pole figure studies. The obtained results showed that both applied growth speed and Fe substitution play a crucial role on grain alignment, which is strongly connected with the current-carrying capacity of the rods. It was found that the rods grown at 15 mm h-1 (G15) have stronger orientation than the rods grown at 30 mm h-1 (G30). However, in contrast to the G15 rods, an increased substitution rate improved the orientation of the G30 rods. Another important observation is that the increase on the substitution caused a decrease on the grain size of all the rods. The decrease of critical temperature values of the rods upon substitution was ascribed to both grain size effect and formation of a nonsuperconducting Fe-rich phase detected in scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive x-ray analyses. The thermal conductivity values of the G15 and G30 rods were found to be in the range of 0.9-1.9 and 1.1-1.18 W m-1 K-1 at 150 K, respectively. The higher values of figure of merit ( ZT), at all temperature ranges, were obtained from the highest substituted rods ( x = 0.1) for both of the applied growth speeds. In addition, it was observed that the ZT of G30 rods are up to three times higher than that of G15 ones.

Thermoelectric Properties Studies on n-type Bi2Te3-xSex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jian; Yan, Xiao; Ma, Yi; Poudel, Bed; Lan, Yucheng; Wang, D. Z.; Ren, Z. F.; Hao, Q.; Chen, G.

2008-03-01

Bi2Te3-xSex is a classic room temperature n-type thermoelectric material. In spite of the long history of research, its ZT is still below 1. By directly making nano sized particles using mechanical alloy from element, then pressing the nanoparticles into 100% dense bulk sample with nano-structures by hot press, we expect to decrease the thermal conductivity by the increased grain boundary scattering of phonons so to improve the ZT above 1. The ratio of Te/Se was varied systematically to investigate its effect on thermal conductivity.

Low thermal conductivity and improved thermoelectric performance of nanocrystalline silicon germanium films by sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez Taborda, J. A.; Romero, J. J.; Abad, B.; Muñoz-Rojo, M.; Mello, A.; Briones, F.; Gonzalez, M. S. Martin

2016-04-01

Si x Ge1-x alloys are well-known thermoelectric materials with a high figure of merit at high temperatures. In this work, metal-induced crystallization (MIC) has been used to grow Si0.8Ge0.2 films that present improved thermoelectric performance (zT = 5.6 × 10-4 at room temperature)—according to previously reported values on films—with a relatively large power factor (σ · S 2 = 16 μW · m-1 · K-2). More importantly, a reduction in the thermal conductivity at room temperature (κ = 1.13 ± 0.12 W · m-1 · K-1) compared to other Si-Ge films (˜3 W · m-1 · K-1) has been found. Whereas the usual crystallization of amorphous SiGe (a-SiGe) is achieved at high temperatures and for long times, which triggers dopant loss, MIC reduces the crystallization temperature and the heating time. The associated dopant loss is thus avoided, resulting in a nanostructuration of the film. Using this method, we obtained Si0.8Ge0.2 films (grown by DC plasma sputtering) with appropriate compositional and structural properties. Different thermal treatments were tested in situ (by heating the sample inside the deposition chamber) and ex situ (annealed in an external furnace with controlled conditions). From the studies of the films by: x-ray diffraction (XRD), synchrotron radiation grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (SR-GIXRD), micro Raman, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), Hall effect, Seebeck coefficient, electrical and thermal conductivity measurements, we observed that the in situ films at 500 °C presented the best zT values with no gold contamination.

Thermal and thermoelectric transport in nanoscale systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Padraig Gerard

This thesis deals with transport in molecular junctions and nanowires. We show that a molecular junction can give large values of the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT, and so could be used as a solid state energy conversion device that operates close to the Carnot efficiency. The mechanism is similar to the Mahan-Sofo model for bulk thermoelectrics---the Lorenz ratio goes to zero, violating the Wiedemann-Franz law, while the thermopower remains non-zero. The molecular state through which charge is transported must be weakly coupled to the leads, and the energy level of the state must be of order kBT away from the Fermi energy of the leads. In practice, the figure of merit is limited by the phonon thermal conductance; we show that the largest possible ZT-G˜ph th-1/2 , where G˜phth is the phonon thermal conductance divided by the thermal conductance quantum. The thermal conductance by phonons of a quasi-one-dimensional solid with isotope or defect scattering is studied using the Landauer formalism for thermal transport. A scalable numerical transfer-matrix technique is developed and applied to model quasi-one-dimensional systems in order to confirm simple analytic predictions. We argue that existing thermal conductivity data on semiconductor nanowires, showing an unexpected linear temperature dependence, can be understood through a model that combines incoherent surface scattering for short-wavelength phonons with nearly ballistic long-wavelength phonons.

On the connection between financial processes with stochastic volatility and nonextensive statistical mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queirós, S. M. D.; Tsallis, C.

2005-11-01

The GARCH algorithm is the most renowned generalisation of Engle's original proposal for modelising returns, the ARCH process. Both cases are characterised by presenting a time dependent and correlated variance or volatility. Besides a memory parameter, b, (present in ARCH) and an independent and identically distributed noise, ω, GARCH involves another parameter, c, such that, for c=0, the standard ARCH process is reproduced. In this manuscript we use a generalised noise following a distribution characterised by an index qn, such that qn=1 recovers the Gaussian distribution. Matching low statistical moments of GARCH distribution for returns with a q-Gaussian distribution obtained through maximising the entropy Sq=1-sumipiq/q-1, basis of nonextensive statistical mechanics, we obtain a sole analytical connection between q and left( b,c,qnright) which turns out to be remarkably good when compared with computational simulations. With this result we also derive an analytical approximation for the stationary distribution for the (squared) volatility. Using a generalised Kullback-Leibler relative entropy form based on Sq, we also analyse the degree of dependence between successive returns, zt and zt+1, of GARCH(1,1) processes. This degree of dependence is quantified by an entropic index, qop. Our analysis points the existence of a unique relation between the three entropic indexes qop, q and qn of the problem, independent of the value of (b,c).

Impact of Interstitial Ni on the Thermoelectric Properties of the Half-Heusler TiNiSn.

PubMed

Barczak, Sonia A; Buckman, Jim; Smith, Ronald I; Baker, Annabelle R; Don, Eric; Forbes, Ian; Bos, Jan-Willem G

2018-03-30

TiNiSn is an intensively studied half-Heusler alloy that shows great potential for waste heat recovery. Here, we report on the structures and thermoelectric properties of a series of metal-rich TiNi 1+y Sn compositions prepared via solid-state reactions and hot pressing. A general relation between the amount of interstitial Ni and lattice parameter is determined from neutron powder diffraction. High-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction reveals the occurrence of strain broadening upon hot pressing, which is attributed to the metastable arrangement of interstitial Ni. Hall measurements confirm that interstitial Ni causes weak n-type doping and a reduction in carrier mobility, which limits the power factor to 2.5-3 mW m -1 K -2 for these samples. The thermal conductivity was modelled within the Callaway approximation and is quantitively linked to the amount of interstitial Ni, resulting in a predicted value of 12.7 W m -1 K -1 at 323 K for stoichiometric TiNiSn. Interstitial Ni leads to a reduction of the thermal band gap and moves the peak ZT = 0.4 to lower temperatures, thus offering the possibility to engineer a broad ZT plateau. This work adds further insight into the impact of small amounts of interstitial Ni on the thermal and electrical transport of TiNiSn.

Effect of alloying on thermal conductivity and thermoelectric properties of CoAsS and CoSbS.

PubMed

Kaur, Prabhjot; Bera, Chandan

2017-09-20

The effect of alloying on the thermoelectric properties of cobaltite, CoAsS, and paracostibite, CoSbS, has been investigated in this study. Density functional theory and the Boltzmann transport equation have been applied to explore the role of phonon-phonon scattering and atomistic scattering due to alloying in phonon transport. An almost 44% reduction in thermal conductivity of CoAs 0.8 Sb 0.2 S alloy compared to pure CoAsS and an ∼15% reduction in thermal conductivity of CoAs 0.2 Sb 0.8 S compared to pure CoSbS were found. Simultaneously, the thermoelectric (TE) figure of merit (ZT) increased by ∼11% in p-type CoAs 0.8 Sb 0.2 S alloy and ∼8% in n-type CoAs 0.2 Sb 0.8 S alloy as compared to their base pure materials at 800 K. We found that by tuning the composition of CoAs x Sb (1-x) S alloy, very similar ZT values for both p-type and n-type can be achieved in a large temperature range. We also calculated the TE properties of CoAsSe (1-x) S x and CoSbS (1-x) Se x alloys. This study will help in designing CoAs x Sb (1-x) S based alloys for efficient thermoelectric devices.

Impact of Interstitial Ni on the Thermoelectric Properties of the Half-Heusler TiNiSn

PubMed Central

Barczak, Sonia A.; Smith, Ronald I.; Baker, Annabelle R.; Don, Eric; Forbes, Ian

2018-01-01

TiNiSn is an intensively studied half-Heusler alloy that shows great potential for waste heat recovery. Here, we report on the structures and thermoelectric properties of a series of metal-rich TiNi1+ySn compositions prepared via solid-state reactions and hot pressing. A general relation between the amount of interstitial Ni and lattice parameter is determined from neutron powder diffraction. High-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction reveals the occurrence of strain broadening upon hot pressing, which is attributed to the metastable arrangement of interstitial Ni. Hall measurements confirm that interstitial Ni causes weak n-type doping and a reduction in carrier mobility, which limits the power factor to 2.5–3 mW m−1 K−2 for these samples. The thermal conductivity was modelled within the Callaway approximation and is quantitively linked to the amount of interstitial Ni, resulting in a predicted value of 12.7 W m−1 K−1 at 323 K for stoichiometric TiNiSn. Interstitial Ni leads to a reduction of the thermal band gap and moves the peak ZT = 0.4 to lower temperatures, thus offering the possibility to engineer a broad ZT plateau. This work adds further insight into the impact of small amounts of interstitial Ni on the thermal and electrical transport of TiNiSn. PMID:29601547

Thermoelectric Properties of Variants of Cu4Mn2Te4 with Spinel-Related Structure.

PubMed

Guo, Quansheng; Vaney, Jean-Baptiste; Virtudazo, Raymond; Minami, Ryunosuke; Michiue, Yuichi; Yamabe-Mitarai, Yoko; Mori, Takao

2018-05-07

Thermoelectric properties of Cu 4 Mn 2 Te 4 , which is antiferromagnetic with a Néel temperature T N = 50 K and crystallizes in a spinel-related structure, have been investigated comprehensively here. The phase transition occurring at temperatures 463 and 723 K is studied by high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and its effect on thermoelectric properties is examined. Hypothetically Cu 4 Mn 2 Te 4 is semiconducting according to the formula (Cu + ) 4 (Mn 2+ ) 2 (Te 2- ) 4 , while experimentally it shows p-type metallic conduction behavior, exhibiting electrical conductivity σ = 2500 Ω -1 cm -1 and Seebeck coefficient α = 20 μV K -1 at 325 K. Herein, we show that the carrier concentration and thus the thermoelectric transport properties could be further optimized through adding electron donors such as excess Mn. Discussions are made on the physical parameters contributing to the low thermal conductivity, including Debye temperature, speed of sound, and the Grüneisen parameter. As a result of simultaneously boosted power factor and reduced thermal conductivity, a moderately high zT = 0.65 at 680 K is obtained in an excess Mn\\In co-added sample, amounting to 5 times that of the pristine Cu 4 Mn 2 Te 4 . This value ( zT = 0.65) is the best result ever reported for spinel and spinel-related chalcogenides.

Off-stoichiometric silver antimony telluride: An experimental study of transport properties with intrinsic and extrinsic doping

DOE PAGES

Nielsen, Michele D.; Jaworski, Christopher M.; Heremans, Joseph P.

2015-03-20

AgSbTe 2 is a thermoelectric semiconductor with an intrinsically low thermal conductivity and a valence band structure that is favorable to obtaining a high thermoelectric figure of merit zT. It also has a very small energy gap Eg ~ 7.6 ± 3 meV. As this gap is less than the thermal excitation energy at room temperature, near-intrinsic AgSbTe 2 is a two carrier system having both holes (concentration p) and electrons ( n). Good thermoelectric performance requires heavy p-type doping ( p > > n). This can be achieved with native defects or with extrinsic doping, e.g. with transition metalmore » element. The use of defect doping is complicated by the fact that many of the ternary Ag-Sb-Te and pseudo-binary Sb 2Te 3-Ag 2Te phase diagrams are contradictory. This paper determines the compositional region most favorable to creating a single phase material. Through a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic doping, values of zT > 1 are achieved, though not on single-phased material. In addition, we show that thermal conductivity is not affected by defects, further demonstrating that the low lattice thermal conductivity of I-V-VI 2 materials is due to an intrinsic mechanism, insensitive to changes in defect structure.« less

Acute Kynurenine Challenge Disrupts Sleep-Wake Architecture and Impairs Contextual Memory in Adult Rats.

PubMed

Pocivavsek, Ana; Baratta, Annalisa M; Mong, Jessica A; Viechweg, Shaun S

2017-11-01

Tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine pathway may represent a key molecular link between sleep loss and cognitive dysfunction. Modest increases in the kynurenine pathway metabolite kynurenic acid (KYNA), which acts as an antagonist at N-methyl-d-aspartate and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain, result in cognitive impairments. As glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmissions are critically involved in modulation of sleep, our current experiments tested the hypothesis that elevated KYNA adversely impacts sleep quality. Adult male Wistar rats were treated with vehicle (saline) and kynurenine (25, 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg), the direct bioprecursor of KYNA, intraperitoneally at zeitgeber time (ZT) 0 to rapidly increase brain KYNA. Levels of KYNA in the brainstem, cortex, and hippocampus were determined at ZT 0, ZT 2, and ZT 4, respectively. Analyses of vigilance state-related parameters categorized as wake, rapid eye movement (REM), and non-REM (NREM) as well as spectra power analysis during NREM and REM were assessed during the light phase. Separate animals were tested in the passive avoidance paradigm, testing contextual memory. When KYNA levels were elevated in the brain, total REM duration was reduced and total wake duration was increased. REM and wake architecture, assessed as number of vigilance state bouts and average duration of each bout, and theta power during REM were significantly impacted. Kynurenine challenge impaired performance in the hippocampal-dependent contextual memory task. Our results introduce kynurenine pathway metabolism and formation of KYNA as a novel molecular target contributing to sleep disruptions and cognitive impairments. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Behavioral effects of the combined use of alcohol and energy drinks on alcohol hangover in an experimental mice model.

PubMed

Asorey, Lucas G; Carbone, Silvia; Gonzalez, Bárbara J; Cutrera, Rodolfo A

2018-03-23

In last few years it has been a significant increase in the consumption of alcohol combined with energy drink. The aim of this work was to study the effect of this mixture in motor and affective behaviors during an alcohol hangover episode. Male Swiss mice received one of the following treatments: saline + sucrose; saline + energy drink; ethanol + sucrose; ethanol + energy drink. Ethanol dose was 3.8 g/kg BW (i.p.) and energy drink dose was 18 ml/kg BW (gavage) at ZT1 (8 am) (ZT: Zeitgeber time; ZT0: 7 am; lights on). The behavioral tests used were tight rope test to determine motor coordination; hanging wire test to study muscular strength; elevated plus maze and open field tests to evaluate anxiety like-behavior and locomotor activity. Tests were carried out at basal point that matched with lights onset and every 6 h up to 18 h after treatments. Hangover onset was established at ZT7 when blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was almost zero. Our results showed that the mixture of alcohol and energy drink altered significantly motor skills. Specifically, a significant decrease was observed in the performance of the animals in the tightrope and hanging wire tests in groups treated with the mixture of alcohol and energy drink. A significant impairment in the anxiety-like behavior was observed mainly at the beginning of alcohol hangover. These findings suggest that energy drink added to alcohol extends motor disabilities observed during an alcohol hangover episode in comparison with animals that received alcohol alone. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Central Laser Facility at the Pierre Auger Observatory: Studies of the Atmospheric Vertical Aerosol Optical Depth and other Applications to Cosmic Ray Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medina Hernandez, Carlos Francisco

The two largest observatories in the world dedicated to the study of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR) are the Pierre Auger Observatory (Auger) in Mendoza, Argentina and the Telescope Array (TA) in Utah, USA. The measurements of the cosmic ray flux by Auger and TA present a discrepancy at the highest part of the energy spectrum. In this thesis, I study if this discrepancy can be attributed to instrumental effects related to the measurements of the atmospheric aerosol contents in Auger. The Auger Fluorescence Detector (FD) measures the scattered light from laser tracks generated by the Central Laser Facility (CLF) and the eXtreme Laser Facility (XLF) located near the center of Auger, to estimate the vertical aerosol optical depth (tau (z,t)). A good knowledge of tau (z,t) is needed to obtain unbiased and reliable FD measurements of the energy of the UHECR primary particle. The CLF was upgraded substantially in 2013 to improve laser reliability. A substantial part of my Ph.D work is dedicated to building, maintaining and analyzing data from this upgraded facility. The upgraded CLF includes a backscatter Raman LIDAR which independently measures tau (z,t). For the first time in a cosmic ray experiment, two years of measurements of tau (z,t) obtained with the Raman LIDAR are compared with the measurements obtained with the FD. Based on these comparisons, an alternative atmospheric database was created to study its effects on the measurements of the flux as a function of energy. The resulting energy spectrum plot is found to be more compatible with the energy spectrum plot released by TA.

Interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) mediates epilepsy-induced sleep disruption.

PubMed

Huang, Tzu-Rung; Jou, Shuo-Bin; Chou, Yu-Ju; Yi, Pei-Lu; Chen, Chun-Jen; Chang, Fang-Chia

2016-11-22

Sleep disruptions are common in epilepsy patients. Our previous study demonstrates that homeostatic factors and circadian rhythm may mediate epilepsy-induced sleep disturbances when epilepsy occurs at different zeitgeber hours. The proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1 (IL-1), is a somnogenic cytokine and may also be involved in epileptogenesis; however, few studies emphasize the effect of IL-1 in epilepsy-induced sleep disruption. We herein hypothesized that IL-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1) mediates the pathogenesis of epilepsy and epilepsy-induced sleep disturbances. We determined the role of IL-1R1 by using IL-1R1 knockout (IL-1R1 -/- KO) mice. Our results elucidated the decrease of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep during the light period in IL-1R -/- mice and confirmed the somnogenic role of IL-1R1. Rapid electrical amygdala kindling was performed to induce epilepsy at the particular zeitgeber time (ZT) point, ZT13. Our results demonstrated that seizure thresholds induced by kindling stimuli, such as the after-discharge threshold and successful kindling rates, were not altered in IL-1R -/- mice when compared to those obtained from the wildtype mice (IL-1R +/+ mice). This result suggests that IL-1R1 is not involved in kindling-induced epileptogenesis. During sleep, ZT13 kindling stimulation significantly enhanced NREM sleep during the subsequent 6 h (ZT13-18) in wildtype mice, and sleep returned to the baseline the following day. However, the kindling-induced sleep alteration was absent in the IL-1R -/- KO mice. These results indicate that the IL-1 signal mediates epilepsy-induced sleep disturbance, but dose not participate in kindling-induced epileptogenesis.

Anisotropic thermoelectric properties of layered compounds in SnX2 (X = S, Se): a promising thermoelectric material.

PubMed

Sun, Bao-Zhen; Ma, Zuju; He, Chao; Wu, Kechen

2015-11-28

Thermoelectrics interconvert heat to electricity and are of great interest in waste heat recovery, solid-state cooling and so on. Here we assessed the potential of SnS2 and SnSe2 as thermoelectric materials at the temperature gradient from 300 to 800 K. Reflecting the crystal structure, the transport coefficients are highly anisotropic between a and c directions, in particular for the electrical conductivity. The preferred direction for both materials is the a direction in TE application. Most strikingly, when 800 K is reached, SnS2 can show a peak power factor (PF) of 15.50 μW cm(-1) K(-2) along the a direction, while a relatively low value (11.72 μW cm(-1) K(-2)) is obtained in the same direction of SnSe2. These values are comparable to those observed in thermoelectrics such as SnSe and SnS. At 300 K, the minimum lattice thermal conductivity (κmin) along the a direction is estimated to be about 0.67 and 0.55 W m(-1) K(-1) for SnS2 and SnSe2, respectively, even lower than the measured lattice thermal conductivity of Bi2Te3 (1.28 W m(-1) K(-1) at 300 K). The reasonable PF and κmin suggest that both SnS2 and SnSe2 are potential thermoelectric materials. Indeed, the estimated peak ZT can approach 0.88 for SnSe2 and a higher value of 0.96 for SnS2 along the a direction at a carrier concentration of 1.94 × 10(19) (SnSe2) vs. 2.87 × 10(19) cm(-3) (SnS2). The best ZT values in SnX2 (X = S, Se) are comparable to that in Bi2Te3 (0.8), a typical thermoelectric material. We hope that this theoretical investigation will provide useful information for further experimental and theoretical studies on optimizing the thermoelectric properties of SnX2 materials.

Hot Extruded Polycrystalline Mg2Si with Embedded XS2 Nano-particles (X: Mo, W)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bercegol, A.; Christophe, V.; Keshavarz, M. K.; Vasilevskiy, D.; Turenne, S.; Masut, R. A.

2017-05-01

Due to their abundant, inexpensive and non-toxic constituent elements, magnesium silicide and related alloys are attractive for large-scale thermoelectric (TE) applications in the 500-800 K temperature range, in particular for energy conversion. In this work, we propose a hot extrusion method favorable for large-scale production, where the starting materials (Mg2Si and XS2, X: W, Mo) are milled together in a sealed vial. The MoS2 nano-particles (0.5-2 at.%) act as solid lubricant during the extrusion process, thus facilitating material densification, as confirmed by density measurements based on Archimedes' method. Scanning electron microscopy images of bulk extruded specimens show a wide distribution of grain size, covering the range from 0.1 μm to 10 μm, and energy dispersive spectroscopy shows oxygen preferentially distributed at the grain boundaries. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the major phase is the expected cubic structure of Mg2Si. The TE properties of these extruded alloys have been measured by the Harman method between 300 K and 700 K. Resistivity values at 700 K vary between 370 μΩ m and 530 μΩ m. The ZT value reaches a maximum of 0.26 for a sample with 2 at.% MoS2. Heat conductivity is reduced for extruded samples containing MoS2, which most likely behave as scattering centers for phonons. The reason why the WS2 particles do not bring any enhancement, for either densification or heat transfer reduction, might be linked to their tendency to agglomerate. These results open the way for further investigation to optimize the processing parameters for this family of TE alloys.

Preparation and Thermoelectric Properties of Cu2Se Hot-Pressed from Hydrothermal Synthesis Nanopowders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, F.; Leng, S. L.; Zhu, Z.; Li, X. J.; Hu, X.; Song, H. Z.

2018-04-01

The nanopowders of Cu2Se were synthesized by the hydrothermal method, and then were hot-pressed into bulk pellets. The effects of different preparation conditions on the structure and thermoelectric properties of Cu2Se nanocrystalline bulk alloys were investigated. The resistivity and Seebeck coefficients increase with the increment of hot-pressing temperatures, while they decrease with the increment of hot-pressing time, except for the Seebeck coefficients of the sample hot-pressed for 30 min. Based on the power factors and dimensionless thermoelectric figure-of-merit ( ZT) values, the optimum hot-pressing parameters are 700°C and 30 min.

A potential half-Heusler thermoelectric material ScAuSn: A first principle study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, H.; Rai, D. P.; Thapa, R. K.

2018-04-01

Density Functional Theory along with semi classical Boltzmann transport theory have been applied to study the electronic and thermoelectric property of the Heusler alloy ScAuSn. It has been found that ScAuSn is an indirect band gap semiconductor with a gap of 0.344 eV. The thermoelectric properties such as electrical conductivity (σ), Seebeck coefficient (S), electronic thermal conductivity (κ) etc. are reported as a function of chemical potential in the region ± 2.0 eV, with respect to constant temperature. The calculated ZT value is almost equal to 1, thus making ScAuSn a potential thermoelectric candidate.

Effect of crystal size distribution on thermoelectric performance for Lanthanum-doped strontium titanate bulk material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Boyu; Wang, Jun; Yaer, Xinba; Huo, Zhenzhen; Wu, Yin; Li, Yan; Miao, Lei; Liu, Chengyan; Zou, Tao; Ma, Wen

2015-07-01

Effect of crystal size distribution on thermoelectric performance of Lanthanum-doped strontium titanate (La-SrTiO3) ceramics are investigated in this study. Thermoelectric performance measurement, coupled with microstructure studies, shows that the electrical conductivity strongly depends on the crystal size, potential barrier on the grain boundary and porosity. Meantime, because the average potential barriers height are increased along with the reduction of crystal size, the Seebeck coefficients are increased by energy filtering effect at the large number of grain boundaries. As a result, by controlling of crystal size distribution, ZT value of La-SrTiO3 is improved.

Carbon stocks quantification in agricultural systems employing succession and rotation of crops in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Michele K. C.; Marinho, Mara de A.; Denardin, José E.; Zullo, Jurandir, Jr.; Paz-González, Antonio

2013-04-01

Soil and vegetation constitute respectively the third and the fourth terrestrial reservoirs of Carbon (C) on Earth. C sequestration in these reservoirs includes the capture of the CO2 from the atmosphere by photosynthesis and its storage as organic C. Consequently, changes in land use and agricultural practices affect directly the emissions of the greenhouse gases and the C sequestration. Several studies have already demonstrated that conservation agriculture, and particularly zero tillage (ZT), has a positive effect on soil C sequestration. The Brazilian federal program ABC (Agriculture of Low Carbon Emission) was conceived to promote agricultural production with environmental protection and represents an instrument to achieve voluntary targets to mitigate emissions or NAMAS (National Appropriated Mitigation Actions). With financial resources of about US 1.0 billion until 2020 the ABC Program has a target of expand ZT in 8 million hectares of land, with reduction of 16 to 20 million of CO2eq. Our objective was to quantify the C stocks in soil, plants and litter of representative grain crops systems under ZT in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Two treatments of a long term experimental essay (> 20 years) were evaluated: 1) Crop succession with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril); 2) Crop rotation with wheat/soybean (1st year), vetch (Vicia sativa L.)/soybean (2nd year), and white oat (Avena sativa L.)/sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) (3rd year). C quantification in plants and in litter was performed using the direct method of biomass quantification. The soil type evaluated was a Humic Rhodic Hapludox, and C quantification was executed employing the method referred by "C mass by unit area". Results showed that soybean plants under crop succession presented greater C stock (4.31MgC ha-1) comparing with soybean plants cultivated under crop rotation (3.59 MgC ha-1). For wheat, however, greater C stock was quantified in plants under rotation comparing with that under succession (4.95 and 4.14 MgC ha-1, respectively). No differences between succession X rotation (1st year) and succession X rotation (3rd year) were found for litter. Differences in C stock in litter were found only comparing succession (2.42 MgC ha-1) X rotation (2nd year) (3.44 MgC ha-1). Average values of soil C stocks at depth 0-30cm under succession (67.79 MgC ha-1) and rotation (64.83 MgC ha-1) don't differ among treatments. These values in comparison with other determined for similar soil-climate conditions for soils under native forest (60.83 MgC ha-1) and under conventional tillage (60.68 MgC ha-1) reveals a beneficial effect of ZT in soil C stock. Finally, the C stocks determined for plants and litter, representing only 4.0% and 6.4% of that determined for soil, confirm the relevance of soil as a terrestrial C reservoir. Acknowledgments: The authors express thanks for the financial support and technical facilities receipt from Embrapa Trigo, CEPAGRI/ UNICAMP, and FAEPEX/ UNICAMP. CAPES/GOV.BRAZIL is also acknowledged by Dr. Michele K. C. Walter for the greeted scholarship.

Comparison of Predicted Thermoelectric Energy Conversion Efficiency by Cumulative Properties and Reduced Variables Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linker, Thomas M.; Lee, Glenn S.; Beekman, Matt

2018-06-01

The semi-analytical methods of thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency calculation based on the cumulative properties approach and reduced variables approach are compared for 21 high performance thermoelectric materials. Both approaches account for the temperature dependence of the material properties as well as the Thomson effect, thus the predicted conversion efficiencies are generally lower than that based on the conventional thermoelectric figure of merit ZT for nearly all of the materials evaluated. The two methods also predict material energy conversion efficiencies that are in very good agreement which each other, even for large temperature differences (average percent difference of 4% with maximum observed deviation of 11%). The tradeoff between obtaining a reliable assessment of a material's potential for thermoelectric applications and the complexity of implementation of the three models, as well as the advantages of using more accurate modeling approaches in evaluating new thermoelectric materials, are highlighted.

A model for the high-temperature transport properties of heavily doped n-type silicon-germanium alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vining, Cronin B.

1991-01-01

A model is presented for the high-temperature transport properties of large-grain-size, heavily doped n-type silicon-germanium alloys. Electron and phonon transport coefficients are calculated using standard Boltzmann equation expressions in the relaxation time approximation. Good agreement with experiment is found by considering acoustic phonon and ionized impurity scattering for electrons, and phonon-phonon, point defect, and electron-phonon scattering for phonons. The parameters describing electron transport in heavily doped and lightly doped materials are significantly different and suggest that most carriers in heavily doped materials are in a band formed largely from impurity states. The maximum dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit for single-crystal, n-type Si(0.8)Ge(0.2) at 1300 K is estimated at ZT about 1.13 with an optimum carrier concentration of n about 2.9 x 10 to the 20th/cu cm.

Electronic cooling using thermoelectric devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zebarjadi, M., E-mail: m.zebarjadi@rutgers.edu; Institute of Advanced Materials, Devices, and Nanotechnology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854

2015-05-18

Thermoelectric coolers or Peltier coolers are used to pump heat in the opposite direction of the natural heat flux. These coolers have also been proposed for electronic cooling, wherein the aim is to pump heat in the natural heat flux direction and from hot spots to the colder ambient temperature. In this manuscript, we show that for such applications, one needs to use thermoelectric materials with large thermal conductivity and large power factor, instead of the traditionally used high ZT thermoelectric materials. We further show that with the known thermoelectric materials, the active cooling cannot compete with passive cooling, andmore » one needs to explore a new set of materials to provide a cooling solution better than a regular copper heat sink. We propose a set of materials and directions for exploring possible materials candidates suitable for electronic cooling. Finally, to achieve maximum cooling, we propose to use thermoelectric elements as fins attached to copper blocks.« less

Upgrade Recycling of Cast Iron Scrap Chips towards β-FeSi₂ Thermoelectric Materials.

PubMed

Laila, Assayidatul; Nanko, Makoto; Takeda, Masatoshi

2014-09-04

The upgrade recycling of cast-iron scrap chips towards β-FeSi₂ thermoelectric materials is proposed as an eco-friendly and cost-effective production process. By using scrap waste from the machining process of cast-iron components, the material cost to fabricate β-FeSi₂ is reduced and the industrial waste is recycled. In this study, β-FeSi₂ specimens obtained from cast iron scrap chips were prepared both in the undoped form and doped with Al and Co elements. The maximum figure of merit ( ZT ) indicated a thermoelectric performance of approximately 70% in p-type samples and nearly 90% in n-type samples compared to β-FeSi₂ prepared from pure Fe and other published studies. The use of cast iron scrap chips to produce β-FeSi₂ shows promise as an eco-friendly and cost-effective production process for thermoelectric materials.

Performance of Skutterudite-Based Modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, G.; Suzuki, S.; Tomida, T.; Sumiyoshi, A.; Ochi, T.; Mukaiyama, K.; Kikuchi, M.; Guo, J. Q.; Yamamoto, A.; Obara, H.

2017-05-01

Due to their excellent thermoelectric (TE) performance, skutterudite materials have been selected by many laboratories and companies for development of TE modules to recover power from waste heat at high temperatures (300°C to 600°C). After years of effort, we have developed reliable n- and p-type skutterudite materials showing maximum figure of merit ( ZT) of 1.0 at 550°C and 0.75 at 450°C, respectively. In this work, we systematically investigated the performance of a module made using these two kinds of skutterudite. We demonstrate ˜7.2% conversion efficiency for temperature of 600°C at the hot side of the module and 50°C at the cold side, and show that the module had excellent stability in the high-temperature environment. Further improving the TE performance of our skutterudites, the conversion efficiency reached ˜8.5% under the same condition.

Prime Contract Awards Alphabetically by Contractor, by State or Country, and Place, Fiscal Year 1987. Part 6. Donnegan Systems, Incorporated-Fairfield Machine Company, Incorporated.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

go- 0 00 0C0 C 00 000 00 0 10 CC I M .COCO Z- - - r-F P- -- rI , zt zt ,r - z - z - - I-- Zol I MOOC I,4-~- CON-00N <C 0-4 00- 4 00 <o C4-4-- 00040-4...InI 1 - In I- P. - --f- 1( ar - -r 1 P rf- -QvQv0vf- - - 0L I W I (AO MOOC Ll 70 CAC co V)00 0 n 0 0120000CO0 (10000 V) 00 0 (.12 00 0 0000

A codon-optimized green fluorescent protein for live cell imaging in Zymoseptoria tritici☆

PubMed Central

Kilaru, S.; Schuster, M.; Studholme, D.; Soanes, D.; Lin, C.; Talbot, N.J.; Steinberg, G.

2015-01-01

Fluorescent proteins (FPs) are powerful tools to investigate intracellular dynamics and protein localization. Cytoplasmic expression of FPs in fungal pathogens allows greater insight into invasion strategies and the host-pathogen interaction. Detection of their fluorescent signal depends on the right combination of microscopic setup and signal brightness. Slow rates of photo-bleaching are pivotal for in vivo observation of FPs over longer periods of time. Here, we test green-fluorescent proteins, including Aequorea coerulescens GFP (AcGFP), enhanced GFP (eGFP) from Aequorea victoria and a novel Zymoseptoria tritici codon-optimized eGFP (ZtGFP), for their usage in conventional and laser-enhanced epi-fluorescence, and confocal laser-scanning microscopy. We show that eGFP, expressed cytoplasmically in Z. tritici, is significantly brighter and more photo-stable than AcGFP. The codon-optimized ZtGFP performed even better than eGFP, showing significantly slower bleaching and a 20–30% further increase in signal intensity. Heterologous expression of all GFP variants did not affect pathogenicity of Z. tritici. Our data establish ZtGFP as the GFP of choice to investigate intracellular protein dynamics in Z. tritici, but also infection stages of this wheat pathogen inside host tissue. PMID:26092799

Study on anisotropy of n-type Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Shaowei; Mao, Jun; Shuai, Jing; Zhu, Hangtian; Ren, Zhensong; Saparamadu, Udara; Tang, Zhongjia; Wang, Bo; Ren, Zhifeng

2018-02-01

The recent discovery of a high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) in an n-type Mg3Sb2-based Zintl phase triggered an intense research effort to pursue even higher ZT. Based on our previous report on Mg3.1Nb0.1Sb1.5Bi0.49Te0.01, we report here that partial texturing in the (001) plane is achieved by double hot pressing, which is further confirmed by the rocking curves of the (002) plane. The textured samples of Mg3.1Nb0.1Sb1.5Bi0.49Te0.01 show a much better average performance in the (00l) plane. Hall mobility is significantly improved to ˜105 cm2 V-1 s-1 at room temperature in the (00l) plane due to texturing, resulting in higher electrical conductivity, a higher power factor of ˜18 μW cm-1 K-2 at room temperature, and also higher average ZT. This work shows that texturing is good for higher thermoelectric performance, suggesting that single crystals of n-type Mg3Sb2-based Zintl compounds are worth pursuing.

The interplay between the kinetic nonlinear frequency shift and the flowing gradient in stimulated Brillouin scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Q.; Y Zheng, C.; Liu, Z. J.; Xiao, C. Z.; Feng, Q. S.; Zhang, H. C.; He, X. T.

2018-02-01

The effect of the kinetic nonlinear frequency shift (KNFS) on backward stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in homogeneous plasmas and inhomogeneous flowing plasmas is investigated by three-wave coupled-mode equations. When the positive contribution to the KNFS from electrons as well as the negative contribution from ions is included, the net KNFS can become positive at a large electron-ion temperature ratio {{ZT}}e/{T}i. In homogeneous plasmas, KNFS can greatly reduce the SBS reflectivity at low or large {{ZT}}e/{T}i but has a weak effect on SBS at {{ZT}}e/{T}i where the positive frequency shifts from electrons almost cancels out the negative shifts from ions. In inhomogeneous plasmas, the net negative frequency shift can enhance the backward SBS reflectivity for the negative gradient of the plasma flowing, and can suppress the reflectivity for the positive case. On the contrary, the net positive frequency can suppress the reflectivity for the negative case of the flowing gradient and enhance the reflectivity for the positive case. This indicates that the SBS in inhomogeneous flowing plasmas can be controlled by changing the sign of the nonlinear frequency shift.

The endogenous plant hormones and ratios regulate sugar and dry matter accumulation in Jerusalem artichoke in salt-soil.

PubMed

Li, Lingling; Shao, Tianyun; Yang, Hui; Chen, Manxia; Gao, Xiumei; Long, Xiaohua; Shao, Hongbo; Liu, Zhaopu; Rengel, Zed

2017-02-01

The changes in content of endogenous hormones in stolons and tubers of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) regulate tuber growth, but the specific knowledge about the importance of balance among the endogenous hormones is lacking. Two varieties of Jerusalem artichoke (NY-1 and QY-2) were tested for the endogenous zeatin (ZT), auxins (IAA), gibberellins (GA 3 ) and abscisic acid (ABA) in regulating sugar and dry matter accumulation in tubers. The dry matter content and sugar accumulation in tubers were correlated positively with endogenous ZT and negatively with GA 3 content and GA 3 /ABA and IAA/ABA content ratios. Throughout the tuber formation, ZT content was higher in NY-1 than QY-2 tubers, whereas ABA content was higher in QY-2 than NY-1 tubers. The content ratios GA 3 /ABA and IAA/ABA were greater in NY-1 than QY-2 before tuber initiation, but QY-2 surpassed NY-1 during the tuber growth stage. The GA 3 /ABA and IAA/ABA content ratios declined during tuber growth. The results suggested that a dynamic balance of endogenous hormones played an important role in tuber development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermoelectric properties of the electron-doped perovskites Sr1-xCaxTi1-yNbyO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuyado, J.; Narikiyo, K.; Akaki, M.; Kuwahara, H.; Okuda, T.

2012-02-01

We have investigated thermoelectric (TE) properties for single crystals of perovskites Sr1-xCaxTi1-yNbyO3 for 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.4 and 0 ⩽ y ⩽ 0.03 below room temperature (RT). We found that SrTi0.99Nb0.01O3 shows a large power factor at low temperature (PF=50 μW/K2 cm at 100 K ˜ 90 μW/K2 cm at 50 K) and the largest dimensionless TE figure-of-merit below 40 K (ZT ˜ 0.07) among the ever-reported materials. Such a large low-temperature TE response around a carrier concentration of 1020 cm-3 is due to a distinct electron-phonon interaction, which could relate to the superconducting state. We also found that the Ca2+ substitution for Sr2+ increases ZT at 300 K for Sr1-xCaxTi0.97Nb0.03O3 from 0.08 to 0.105. The enhancement of ZT around RT originates both in a large reduction of a thermal conductivity due to an introduced randomness into the crystal structure and in an unexpected enhancement of a Seebeck coefficient.

Circadian expression of clock and putative clock-controlled genes in skeletal muscle of the zebrafish.

PubMed

Amaral, Ian P G; Johnston, Ian A

2012-01-01

To identify circadian patterns of gene expression in skeletal muscle, adult male zebrafish were acclimated for 2 wk to a 12:12-h light-dark photoperiod and then exposed to continuous darkness for 86 h with ad libitum feeding. The increase in gut food content associated with the subjective light period was much diminished by the third cycle, enabling feeding and circadian rhythms to be distinguished. Expression of zebrafish paralogs of mammalian transcriptional activators of the circadian mechanism (bmal1, clock1, and rora) followed a rhythmic pattern with a ∼24-h periodicity. Peak expression of rora paralogs occurred at the beginning of the subjective light period [Zeitgeber time (ZT)07 and ZT02 for roraa and rorab], whereas the highest expression of bmal1 and clock paralogs occurred 12 h later (ZT13-15 and ZT16 for bmal and clock paralogs). Expression of the transcriptional repressors cry1a, per1a/1b, per2, per3, nr1d2a/2b, and nr1d1 also followed a circadian pattern with peak expression at ZT0-02. Expression of the two paralogs of cry2 occurred in phase with clock1a/1b. Duplicated genes had a high correlation of expression except for paralogs of clock1, nr1d2, and per1, with cry1b showing no circadian pattern. The highest expression difference was 9.2-fold for the activator bmal1b and 51.7-fold for the repressor per1a. Out of 32 candidate clock-controlled genes, only myf6, igfbp3, igfbp5b, and hsf2 showed circadian expression patterns. Igfbp3, igfbp5b, and myf6 were expressed in phase with clock1a/1b and had an average of twofold change in expression from peak to trough, whereas hsf2 transcripts were expressed in phase with cry1a and had a 7.2-fold-change in expression. The changes in expression of clock and clock-controlled genes observed during continuous darkness were also observed at similar ZTs in fish exposed to a normal photoperiod in a separate control experiment. The role of circadian clocks in regulating muscle maintenance and growth are discussed.

Enhancing figure-of-merit of n-type Bi2Te3-xSex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xiao; Yang, Jian; Ma, Yi; Poudel, Bed; Lan, Yucheng; Wang, Dezhi; Ren, Zhifeng; Hao, Qing; Chen, Gang

2008-03-01

Themoelectric materials with high dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT) are greatly demanded in energy industry, among which bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) exhibits decent ZT around room temperature. However, thermal conductivity of Bi2Te3 is still high which limits its wider use for low temperature cooling devices. Here we investigate nanostructured bulk n-type Bi2Te3-xSex by reducing the thermal conductivity via increased phonon scattering of the significantly increased grain boundaries due to nano size grains. We first make alloyed nanopowders by mechanical alloying a mixture of elements with the right ratio and then 100% nanostructured samples by hot press.

Terbium Ion Doping in Ca3Co4O9: A Step towards High-Performance Thermoelectric Materials

PubMed Central

Saini, Shrikant; Yaddanapudi, Haritha Sree; Tian, Kun; Yin, Yinong; Magginetti, David; Tiwari, Ashutosh

2017-01-01

The potential of thermoelectric materials to generate electricity from the waste heat can play a key role in achieving a global sustainable energy future. In order to proceed in this direction, it is essential to have thermoelectric materials that are environmentally friendly and exhibit high figure of merit, ZT. Oxide thermoelectric materials are considered ideal for such applications. High thermoelectric performance has been reported in single crystals of Ca3Co4O9. However, for large scale applications single crystals are not suitable and it is essential to develop high-performance polycrystalline thermoelectric materials. In polycrystalline form, Ca3Co4O9 is known to exhibit much weaker thermoelectric response than in single crystal form. Here, we report the observation of enhanced thermoelectric response in polycrystalline Ca3Co4O9 on doping Tb ions in the material. Polycrystalline Ca3−xTbxCo4O9 (x = 0.0–0.7) samples were prepared by a solid-state reaction technique. Samples were thoroughly characterized using several state of the art techniques including XRD, TEM, SEM and XPS. Temperature dependent Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity measurements were performed. A record ZT of 0.74 at 800 K was observed for Tb doped Ca3Co4O9 which is the highest value observed till date in any polycrystalline sample of this system. PMID:28317853

Effect of beverages on color and translucency of new tooth-colored restoratives.

PubMed

Tan, B L; Yap, A U J; Ma, H N T; Chew, J; Tan, W J

2015-01-01

This investigation examined the susceptibility to staining and translucency changes of some new tooth-colored restorative materials after immersion in different beverages. The materials studied were 3M Filtek Z350XT (ZT), 3M Filtek 350XT Flowable Restorative (ZF), Shofu Beautifil Flow Plus (BF), Shofu Beautifil II (B2), 3M Ketac Nano (N100), and 3M Photac Fil (PF). Following the manufacturers' instructions, 42 samples were made from each material and placed in an incubator at 100% humidity and 37°Celsius for 24 hours. Baseline L*, a*, b* readings were taken against white and black backgrounds using a photospectrometer. The samples were then randomly assigned to be immersed in seven beverages, namely cola drink, orange juice, red wine, vodka, black coffee, green tea, and distilled water for a period of seven days. Color readings were taken again by recording the L*, a*, b* values. Data was analyzed using t-tests, one-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc and Pearson's correlation (p<0.05). BF generally performed as well as the conventional composite resin materials (ZT and ZF) but N100 and B2 did not. PF had the largest staining and translucency changes. Coffee, red wine, and tea resulted in the most staining and negative translucency changes. An inverse correlation between ΔE and ΔTP was observed for all materials and beverages with the exception of orange juice.

Thermoelectric properties of Tl and I dual-doped Bi2Te3-based alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fang; He, Qinglin; Tang, Mingsheng; Song, Hongzhang

2018-04-01

TlxBi2‑xTe3‑xIx (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2) flower-like nanopowders were prepared successfully by the hydrothermal method. Then, the synthesized nanoparticles were pressed into bulks by hot-pressing. The thermoelectric (TE) properties of the TlxBi2‑xTe3‑xIx bulk samples were investigated and discussed. The results showed that the influences of Tl doping on the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficients of the Bi2Te3 is over that of I doping. Thus, the power factors of the dual-doped bulks are all less than that of the Bi2Te3 bulk. The thermal conductivities of the TlxBi2‑xTe3‑xIx bulk samples also remain at lower values. As a result, the ZT value of the optimized doped bulk Tl0.1Bi1.9Te2.9I0.1 attains a value of 1.1 at 398 K.

Temperature dependent thermoelectric property of reduced graphene oxide-polyaniline composite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitra, Mousumi, E-mail: mousumimitrabesu@gmail.com; Banerjee, Dipali, E-mail: dipalibanerjeebesu@gmail.com; Kargupta, Kajari, E-mail: karguptakajari2010@gmail.com

2016-05-06

A composite material of reduced graphene oxide (rG) nanosheets with polyaniline (PANI) protonated by 5-sulfosalicylic acid has been synthesized via in situ oxidative polymerization method. The morphological and spectral characterizations have been done using FESEM and XRD measurements. The thermoelectric (TE) properties of the reduced graphene oxide-polyaniline composite (rG-P) has been studied in the temperature range from 300-400 K. The electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of rG-P is higher than the of pure PANI, while the thermal conductivity of the composite still keeps much low value ensuing an increase in the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) in the wholemore » temperature range.« less

Effect of C and N Addition on Thermoelectric Properties of TiNiSn Half-Heusler Compounds.

PubMed

Dow, Hwan Soo; Kim, Woo Sik; Shin, Weon Ho

2018-02-08

We investigated the thermoelectric properties of the ternary half-Heusler compound, TiNiSn, when introducing C and N. The addition of C or N to TiNiSn leads to an enhanced power factor and a decreasing lattice thermal conductivity by point defect phonon scattering. The thermoelectric performances of TiNiSn alloys are significantly improved by adding 1 at. % TiN, TiC, and figure of merit ( ZT ) values of 0.43 and 0.34, respectively, can be obtained at 723 K. This increase in thermoelectric performance is very helpful in the commercialization of thermoelectric power generation in the mid-temperature range.

Influence of nanoscale Ag2Te precipitates on the thermoelectric properties of the Sn doped P-type AgSbTe2 compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanraman, Rajeshkumar; Sankar, Raman; Chou, Fang-Cheng; Lee, Chih-Hao; Iizuka, Yoshiyuki; Muthuselvam, I. Panneer; Chen, Yang-Yuan

2014-09-01

We report a maximal figure of merit (ZT) value of 1.1 at 600 K was obtained for the sample of which x = 0.03, representing an enhancement greater than 20% compared with a pristine AgSbTe2 sample. This favorable thermoelectric performance originated from the optimal Sn2+ substitution for Sb3+ in AgSbTe2, which not only increased electrical conductivity but also led to a substantial reduction in thermal conductivity that was likely caused by an enhanced phonon-scattering mechanism through the combined effects of lattice defects and the presence of Ag2Te nanoprecipitates dispersed in the matrix.

n-type thermoelectric material Mg2Sn0.75Ge0.25 for high power generation

PubMed Central

Liu, Weishu; Kim, Hee Seok; Chen, Shuo; Jie, Qing; Lv, Bing; Yao, Mengliang; Ren, Zhensong; Opeil, Cyril P.; Wilson, Stephen; Chu, Ching-Wu; Ren, Zhifeng

2015-01-01

Thermoelectric power generation is one of the most promising techniques to use the huge amount of waste heat and solar energy. Traditionally, high thermoelectric figure-of-merit, ZT, has been the only parameter pursued for high conversion efficiency. Here, we emphasize that a high power factor (PF) is equivalently important for high power generation, in addition to high efficiency. A new n-type Mg2Sn-based material, Mg2Sn0.75Ge0.25, is a good example to meet the dual requirements in efficiency and output power. It was found that Mg2Sn0.75Ge0.25 has an average ZT of 0.9 and PF of 52 μW⋅cm−1⋅K−2 over the temperature range of 25–450 °C, a peak ZT of 1.4 at 450 °C, and peak PF of 55 μW⋅cm−1⋅K−2 at 350 °C. By using the energy balance of one-dimensional heat flow equation, leg efficiency and output power were calculated with Th = 400 °C and Tc = 50 °C to be of 10.5% and 6.6 W⋅cm−2 under a temperature gradient of 150 °C⋅mm−1, respectively. PMID:25733845

Optimizing the thermoelectric performance of graphene nano-ribbons without degrading the electronic properties.

PubMed

Tran, Van-Truong; Saint-Martin, Jérôme; Dollfus, Philippe; Volz, Sebastian

2017-05-24

The enhancement of thermoelectric figure of merit ZT requires to either increase the power factor or reduce the phonon conductance, or even both. In graphene, the high phonon thermal conductivity is the main factor limiting the thermoelectric conversion. The common strategy to enhance ZT is therefore to introduce phonon scatterers to suppress the phonon conductance while retaining high electrical conductance and Seebeck coefficient. Although thermoelectric performance is eventually enhanced, all studies based on this strategy show a significant reduction of the electrical conductance. In this study we demonstrate that appropriate sources of disorder, including isotopes and vacancies at lowest electron density positions, can be used as phonon scatterers to reduce the phonon conductance in graphene ribbons without degrading the electrical conductance, particularly in the low-energy region which is the most important range for device operation. By means of atomistic calculations we show that the natural electronic properties of graphene ribbons can be fully preserved while their thermoelectric efficiency is strongly enhanced. For ribbons of width M = 5 dimer lines, room-temperature ZT is enhanced from less than 0.26 to more than 2.5. This study is likely to set the milestones of a new generation of nano-devices with dual electronic/thermoelectric functionalities.

On Zwicker tones and musical pitch in the likely absence of phase locking corresponding to the pitch a)

PubMed Central

Gockel, Hedwig E.; Carlyon, Robert P.

2017-01-01

It was assessed whether Zwicker tones (ZTs) (an auditory afterimage produced by a band-stop noise) have a musical pitch. First (stage I), musically trained subjects adjusted the frequency, level, and decay time of an exponentially decaying diotic sinusoid to sound similar to the ZT they perceived following the presentation of diotic broadband noise, for various band-stop positions. Next (stage II), subjects adjusted a sinusoid in frequency and level so that its pitch was a specified musical interval below that of either a preceding ZT or a preceding sinusoid, and so that it was equally loud. For each subject the reference sinusoid corresponded to their adjusted sinusoid from stage I. Subjects selected appropriate frequency ratios for ZTs, although the standard deviations of the adjustments were larger for the ZTs than for the equally salient sinusoids by a factor of 1.0–2.2. Experiments with monaural stimuli led to similar results, although the pitch of the ZTs could differ for monaural and diotic presentation of the ZT-exciting noise. The results suggest that a weak musical pitch may exist in the absence of phase locking in the auditory nerve to the frequency corresponding to the pitch (or harmonics thereof) at the time of the percept. PMID:27794303

High thermoelectric figure of merit by resonant dopant in half-Heusler alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Long; Liu, Yamei; He, Jian; Tritt, Terry M.; Poon, S. Joseph

2017-06-01

Half-Heusler alloys have been one of the benchmark high temperature thermoelectric materials owing to their thermal stability and promising figure of merit ZT. Simonson et al. early showed that small amounts of vanadium doped in Hf0.75Zr0.25NiSn enhanced the Seebeck coefficient and correlated the change with the increased density of states near the Fermi level. We herein report a systematic study on the role of vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), and tantalum (Ta) as prospective resonant dopants in enhancing the ZT of n-type half-Heusler alloys based on Hf0.6Zr0.4NiSn0.995Sb0.005. The V doping was found to increase the Seebeck coefficient in the temperature range 300-1000 K, consistent with a resonant doping scheme. In contrast, Nb and Ta act as normal n-type dopants, as evident by the systematic decrease in electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient. The combination of enhanced Seebeck coefficient due to the presence of V resonant states and the reduced thermal conductivity has led to a state-of-the-art ZT of 1.3 near 850 K in n-type (Hf0.6Zr0.4)0.99V0.01NiSn0.995Sb0.005 alloys.

Low-temperature thermoelectric properties of the electron-doped perovskites Sr1- x Ca x Ti1- y Nb y O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuda, Tetsuji; Fukuyado, Junichi; Narikiyo, Kurahito; Akaki, Mitsuru; Kuwahara, Hideki

2013-08-01

We have investigated the thermoelectric (TE) properties for single crystals of the perovskites Sr1- x Ca x Ti1- y Nb y O3 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.03 at temperatures below room temperature (RT). We found that SrTi0.99Nb0.01O3 showed a large power factor at low temperatures ( PF = 50 µW/K2cm at 100 K ˜ 90 µW/K2cm at 50 K) and the largest dimensionless TE figure-ofmerit at temperatures below 40 K ( ZT ˜ 0.07) among the reported materials. Such a large low-temperature TE response around a carrier concentration of 1020 cm-3 is due to a distinct phonon drag effect. We also found that the Ca2+ substitution for Sr2+ increased the ZT at 300 K for Sr1- x Ca x Ti0.97Nb0.03O3 from 0.08 to 0.105. The enhancement of the ZT around RT originates both from a large reduction of a thermal conductivity due to a randomness introduced into the crystal structure and from an unexpected enhancement of a Seebeck coefficient.

Spin distributions and cross sections of evaporation residues in the 28Si+176Yb reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudarshan, K.; Tripathi, R.; Sodaye, S.; Sharma, S. K.; Pujari, P. K.; Gehlot, J.; Madhavan, N.; Nath, S.; Mohanto, G.; Mukul, I.; Jhingan, A.; Mazumdar, I.

2017-02-01

Background: Non-compound-nucleus fission in the preactinide region has been an active area of investigation in the recent past. Based on the measurements of fission-fragment mass distributions in the fission of 202Po, populated by reactions with varying entrance channel mass asymmetry, the onset of non-compound-nucleus fission was proposed to be around ZpZt˜1000 [Phys. Rev. C 77, 024606 (2008), 10.1103/PhysRevC.77.024606], where Zp and Zt are the projectile and target proton numbers, respectively. Purpose: The present paper is aimed at the measurement of cross sections and spin distributions of evaporation residues in the 28Si+176Yb reaction (ZpZt=980 ) to investigate the fusion hindrance which, in turn, would give information about the contribution from non-compound-nucleus fission in this reaction. Method: Evaporation-residue cross sections were measured in the beam energy range of 129-166 MeV using the hybrid recoil mass analyzer (HYRA) operated in the gas-filled mode. Evaporation-residue cross sections were also measured by the recoil catcher technique followed by off-line γ -ray spectrometry at few intermediate energies. γ -ray multiplicities of evaporation residues were measured to infer about their spin distribution. The measurements were carried out using NaI(Tl) detector-based 4π-spin spectrometer from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, coupled to the HYRA. Results: Evaporation-residue cross sections were significantly lower compared to those calculated using the statistical model code pace2 [Phys. Rev. C 21, 230 (1980), 10.1103/PhysRevC.21.230] with the coupled-channel fusion model code ccfus [Comput. Phys. Commun. 46, 187 (1987), 10.1016/0010-4655(87)90045-2] at beam energies close to the entrance channel Coulomb barrier. At higher beam energies, experimental cross sections were close to those predicted by the model. Average γ -ray multiplicities or angular momentum values of evaporation residues were in agreement with the calculations of the code ccfus + pace2 within the experimental uncertainties at all the beam energies. Conclusions: Deviation of evaporation-residue cross sections from the "fusion + statistical model" predictions at beam energies close to the entrance channel Coulomb barrier indicates fusion hindrance at these beam energies which would lead to non-compound-nucleus fission. However, reasonable agreement of average angular momentum values of evaporation residues at these beam energies with those calculated using the coupled-channel fusion model with the statistical model codes ccfus + pace2 suggests that fusion suppression at beam energies close to the entrance channel Coulomb barrier where populated l waves are low is not l dependent.

The Star Formation History of the Local Group Dwarf Galaxy Leo I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallart, Carme; Freedman, Wendy L.; Aparicio, Antonio; Bertelli, Giampaolo; Chiosi, Cesare

1999-11-01

We present a quantitative analysis of the star formation history (SFH) of the Local Group dSph galaxy Leo I, from the information in its Hubble Space Telescope [(V-I),I] color-magnitude diagram (CMD). It reaches the level of the oldest main-sequence turnoffs, and this allows us to retrieve the SFH in considerable detail. The method we use is based on comparing, via synthetic CMDs, the expected distribution of stars in the CMD for different evolutionary scenarios with the observed distribution. We consider the SFH to be composed by the SFR(t), the chemical enrichment law Z(t), the initial mass function (IMF), and a function β(f,q) controlling the fraction f and mass ratio distribution q of binary stars. We analyze a set of ~=50 combinations of four Z(t), three IMFs, and more than four β(f,q). For each of them, the best SFR(t) is searched for among ~=6x107 models. The comparison between the observed CMD and the model CMDs is done through χ2ν minimization of the differences in the number of stars in a set of regions of the CMD, chosen to sample stars of different ages or in specific stellar evolutionary phases. We empirically determine the range of χ2ν values that indicate acceptable models for our set of data using tests with models with known SFHs. Our solution for the SFH of Leo I defines a minimum of χ2ν in a well-defined position of the parameter space, and the derived SFR(t) is robust, in the sense that its main characteristics are unchanged for different combinations of the remaining parameters. However, only a narrow range of assumptions for Z(t), IMF, and β(f,q) result in a good agreement between the data and the models, namely, Z=0.0004, a IMF Kroupa et al. or slightly steeper, and a relatively large fraction of binary stars, with f=0.3-0.6, q>0.6, and an approximately flat IMF for the secondaries, or particular combinations of these parameters that would produce a like fraction of similar mass binaries. Most star formation activity (70% to 80%) occurred between 7 and 1 Gyr ago. At 1 Gyr ago, it abruptly dropped to a negligible value, but seems to have been active until at least ~=300 million years ago. Our results do not unambiguously answer the question of whether Leo I began forming stars around 15 Gyr ago, but it appears that the amount of this star formation, if it existed at all, would be small.

The structural properties of InGaN alloys and the interdependence on the thermoelectric behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucukgok, Bahadir; Wu, Xuewang; Wang, Xiaojia; Liu, Zhiqiang; Ferguson, Ian T.; Lu, Na

2016-02-01

The III-Nitrides are promising candidate for high efficiency thermoelectric (TE) materials and devices due to their unique features which includes high thermal stability. A systematic study of the room temperature TE properties of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition grown InxGa1-xN were investigated for x = 0.07 to 0.24. This paper investigated the role of indium composition on the TE properties of InGaN alloys in particular the structural properties for homogenous material that did not show significant phase separation. The highest Seebeck and power factor values of 507 μV K-1 and 21.84 × 10-4 Wm-1K-1 were observed, respectively for In0.07Ga0.93N at room temperature. The highest value of figure-of-merit (ZT) was calculated to be 0.072 for In0.20Ga0.80N alloy at room temperature.

Radio Wave Propagation in Structured Ionization for Satellite Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-31

34:. ’ -• ’. -:: ii i iI !!I lmIiI l I .- • ?-.• .•-I•liii ~l•mI •l I lIu2 2i l 2filI•~l i fllJII where Af = f2 f =S (K 2 1 271 2 1) 1/2= C-1 2 (zt) I’ P...frequency, f * 1Thus the above parameters vary little aver the bandwidth and f2as it Sappea~rs everywhere in Equation 31, except in Af , can be replaced by f...multiplication factor p q and by multiplying G(zt.p,q.Af) by exp(iR𔄀f) where R’ is a constant independent of Af . This term can be neglected because it results

Control of phonon transport by the formation of the Al2O3 interlayer in Al2O3-ZnO superlattice thin films and their in-plane thermoelectric energy generator performance.

PubMed

Park, No-Won; Ahn, Jay-Young; Park, Tae-Hyun; Lee, Jung-Hun; Lee, Won-Yong; Cho, Kwanghee; Yoon, Young-Gui; Choi, Chel-Jong; Park, Jin-Seong; Lee, Sang-Kwon

2017-06-01

Recently, significant progress has been made in increasing the figure-of-merit (ZT) of various nanostructured materials, including thin-film and quantum dot superlattice structures. Studies have focused on the size reduction and control of the surface or interface of nanostructured materials since these approaches enhance the thermopower and phonon scattering in quantum and superlattice structures. Currently, bismuth-tellurium-based semiconductor materials are widely employed for thermoelectric (TE) devices such as TE energy generators and coolers, in addition to other sensors, for use at temperatures under 400 K. However, new and promising TE materials with enhanced TE performance, including doped zinc oxide (ZnO) multilayer or superlattice thin films, are also required for designing solid-state TE power generating devices with the maximum output power density and for investigating the physics of in-plane TE generators. Herein, we report the growth of Al 2 O 3 /ZnO (AO/ZnO) superlattice thin films, which were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD), and the evaluation of their electrical and TE properties. All the in-plane TE properties, including the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (σ), and thermal conductivity (κ), of the AO/ZnO superlattice (with a 0.82 nm-thick AO layer) and AO/ZnO films (with a 0.13 nm-thick AO layer) were evaluated in the temperature range 40-300 K, and the measured S, σ, and κ were -62.4 and -17.5 μV K -1 , 113 and 847 (Ω cm) -1 , and 0.96 and 1.04 W m -1 K -1 , respectively, at 300 K. Consequently, the in-plane TE ZT factor of AO/ZnO superlattice films was found to be ∼0.014, which is approximately two times more than that of AO/ZnO films (ZT of ∼0.007) at 300 K. Furthermore, the electrical power generation efficiency of the TE energy generator consisting of four couples of n-AO/ZnO superlattice films and p-Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 (p-BST) thin-film legs on the substrate was demonstrated. Surprisingly, the output power of the 100 nm-thick n-AO/ZnO superlattice film/p-BST TE energy generator was determined to be ∼1.0 nW at a temperature difference of 80 K, corresponding to a significant improvement of ∼130% and ∼220% compared to the 100 nm-thick AO/ZnO film/p-BST and n-BT/p-BST film generators, respectively, owing to the enhancement of the TE properties, including the power factor of the superlattice film.

Integrating Circadian Activity and Gene Expression Profiles to Predict Chronotoxicity of Drosophila suzukii Response to Insecticides

PubMed Central

Hamby, Kelly A.; Kwok, Rosanna S.; Zalom, Frank G.; Chiu, Joanna C.

2013-01-01

Native to Southeast Asia, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a recent invader that infests intact ripe and ripening fruit, leading to significant crop losses in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Since current D. suzukii management strategies rely heavily on insecticide usage and insecticide detoxification gene expression is under circadian regulation in the closely related Drosophila melanogaster, we set out to determine if integrative analysis of daily activity patterns and detoxification gene expression can predict chronotoxicity of D. suzukii to insecticides. Locomotor assays were performed under conditions that approximate a typical summer or winter day in Watsonville, California, where D. suzukii was first detected in North America. As expected, daily activity patterns of D. suzukii appeared quite different between ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ conditions due to differences in photoperiod and temperature. In the ‘summer’, D. suzukii assumed a more bimodal activity pattern, with maximum activity occurring at dawn and dusk. In the ‘winter’, activity was unimodal and restricted to the warmest part of the circadian cycle. Expression analysis of six detoxification genes and acute contact bioassays were performed at multiple circadian times, but only in conditions approximating Watsonville summer, the cropping season, when most insecticide applications occur. Five of the genes tested exhibited rhythmic expression, with the majority showing peak expression at dawn (ZT0, 6am). We observed significant differences in the chronotoxicity of D. suzukii towards malathion, with highest susceptibility at ZT0 (6am), corresponding to peak expression of cytochrome P450s that may be involved in bioactivation of malathion. High activity levels were not found to correlate with high insecticide susceptibility as initially hypothesized. Chronobiology and chronotoxicity of D. suzukii provide valuable insights for monitoring and control efforts, because insect activity as well as insecticide timing and efficacy are crucial considerations for pest management. However, field research is necessary for extrapolation to agricultural settings. PMID:23861907

Integrating circadian activity and gene expression profiles to predict chronotoxicity of Drosophila suzukii response to insecticides.

PubMed

Hamby, Kelly A; Kwok, Rosanna S; Zalom, Frank G; Chiu, Joanna C

2013-01-01

Native to Southeast Asia, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a recent invader that infests intact ripe and ripening fruit, leading to significant crop losses in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Since current D. suzukii management strategies rely heavily on insecticide usage and insecticide detoxification gene expression is under circadian regulation in the closely related Drosophila melanogaster, we set out to determine if integrative analysis of daily activity patterns and detoxification gene expression can predict chronotoxicity of D. suzukii to insecticides. Locomotor assays were performed under conditions that approximate a typical summer or winter day in Watsonville, California, where D. suzukii was first detected in North America. As expected, daily activity patterns of D. suzukii appeared quite different between 'summer' and 'winter' conditions due to differences in photoperiod and temperature. In the 'summer', D. suzukii assumed a more bimodal activity pattern, with maximum activity occurring at dawn and dusk. In the 'winter', activity was unimodal and restricted to the warmest part of the circadian cycle. Expression analysis of six detoxification genes and acute contact bioassays were performed at multiple circadian times, but only in conditions approximating Watsonville summer, the cropping season, when most insecticide applications occur. Five of the genes tested exhibited rhythmic expression, with the majority showing peak expression at dawn (ZT0, 6am). We observed significant differences in the chronotoxicity of D. suzukii towards malathion, with highest susceptibility at ZT0 (6am), corresponding to peak expression of cytochrome P450s that may be involved in bioactivation of malathion. High activity levels were not found to correlate with high insecticide susceptibility as initially hypothesized. Chronobiology and chronotoxicity of D. suzukii provide valuable insights for monitoring and control efforts, because insect activity as well as insecticide timing and efficacy are crucial considerations for pest management. However, field research is necessary for extrapolation to agricultural settings.

Phosphorylation of CaMKII in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus plays an important role in sleep-wake regulation.

PubMed

Cui, Su-Ying; Li, Sheng-Jie; Cui, Xiang-Yu; Zhang, Xue-Qiong; Yu, Bin; Sheng, Zhao-Fu; Huang, Yuan-Li; Cao, Qing; Xu, Ya-Ping; Lin, Zhi-Ge; Yang, Guang; Song, Jin-Zhi; Ding, Hui; Wang, Zi-Jun; Zhang, Yong-He

2016-02-01

The Ca(2+) modulation in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) plays an important role in sleep-wake regulation. Calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) is an important signal-transducing molecule that is activated by Ca(2+) . This study investigated the effects of intracellular Ca(2+) /CaMKII signaling in the DRN on sleep-wake states in rats. Maximum and minimum CaMKII phosphorylation was detected at Zeitgeber time 21 (ZT 21; wakefulness state) and ZT 3 (sleep state), respectively, across the light-dark rhythm in the DRN in rats. Six-hour sleep deprivation significantly reduced CaMKII phosphorylation in the DRN. Microinjection of the CAMKII activation inhibitor KN-93 (5 or 10 nmol) into the DRN suppressed wakefulness and enhanced rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) and non-REM sleep (NREMS). Application of a high dose of KN-93 (10 nmol) increased slow-wave sleep (SWS) time, SWS bouts, the mean duration of SWS, the percentage of SWS relative to total sleep, and delta power density during NREMS. Microinjection of CaCl2 (50 nmol) in the DRN increased CaMKII phosphorylation and decreased NREMS, SWS, and REMS. KN-93 abolished the inhibitory effects of CaCl2 on NREMS, SWS, and REMS. These data indicate a novel wake-promoting and sleep-suppressing role for the Ca(2+) /CaMKII signaling pathway in DRN neurons. We propose that the intracellular Ca(2+) /CaMKII signaling in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) plays wake-promoting and sleep-suppressing role in rats. Intra-DRN application of KN-93 (CaMKII activation inhibitor) suppressed wakefulness and enhanced rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) and non-REMS (NREMS). Intra-DRN application of CaCl2 attenuated REMS and NREMS. We think these findings should provide a novel cellular and molecular mechanism of sleep-wake regulation. © 2015 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Thermoelectric properties of a Mn substituted synthetic tetrahedrite.

PubMed

Chetty, Raju; D S, Prem Kumar; Rogl, Gerda; Rogl, Peter; Bauer, Ernst; Michor, Herwig; Suwas, Satyam; Puchegger, Stephan; Giester, Gerald; Mallik, Ramesh Chandra

2015-01-21

Tetrahedrite compounds Cu(12-x)Mn(x)Sb4S13 (0 ≤x≤ 1.8) were prepared by solid state synthesis. A detailed crystal structure analysis of Cu10.6Mn1.4Sb4S13 was performed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) at 100, 200 and 300 K confirming the noncentrosymmetric structure (space group I4[combining macron]3m) of a tetrahedrite. The large atomic displacement parameter of the Cu2 atoms was described by splitting the 12e site into a partially and randomly occupied 24g site (Cu22) in addition to the regular 12e site (Cu21), suggesting a mix of dynamic and static off-plane Cu2 atom disorder. Rietveld powder XRD pattern and electron probe microanalysis revealed that all the Mn substituted samples showed a single tetrahedrite phase. The electrical resistivity increased with increasing Mn due to substitution of Mn(2+) at the Cu(1+) site. The positive Seebeck coefficient for all samples indicates that the dominant carriers are holes. Even though the thermal conductivity decreased as a function of increasing Mn, the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT decreased, because the decrease of the power factor is stronger than the decrease of the thermal conductivity. The maximum ZT = 0.76 at 623 K is obtained for Cu12Sb4S13. The coefficient of thermal expansion 13.5 ± 0.1 × 10(-6) K(-1) is obtained in the temperature range from 460 K to 670 K for Cu10.2Mn1.8Sb4S13. The Debye temperature, Θ(D) = 244 K for Cu10.2Mn1.8Sb4S13, was estimated from an evaluation of the elastic properties. The effective paramagnetic moment 7.45 μB/f.u. for Cu10.2Mn1.8Sb4S13 is fairly consistent with a high spin 3d(5) ground state of Mn.

Strong Reduction of Thermal Conductivity and Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties in CoSbS1-xSex Paracostibite

PubMed Central

Chmielowski, Radoslaw; Bhattacharya, Sandip; Jacob, Stéphane; Péré, Daniel; Jacob, Alain; Moriya, Kenzo; Delatouche, Bruno; Roussel, Pascal; Madsen, Georg; Dennler, Gilles

2017-01-01

In order to reduce the thermal conductivity of CoSbS, a newly developed thermoelectric semiconductor, we have aimed at intentionally induce atomic disorder in its structure. This endeavor was guided by Density Functional Theory(DFT) calculations which indicated that substituting sulfur with selenium might be easily achievable experimentally because of the low formation energy of this point defect. Thereby, CoSbS1−xSex compounds having 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 have been synthesized by solid state reaction. Besides the expected semiconducting paracostibite phase, we have observed the appearance of a semimetallic costibite phase, never reported experimentally before. This cross-fertilized theoretical and experimental approach allowed us to reduce by 50% the thermal conductivity of paracostibite and therefore reach a maximum zT of 0.62 at 730 K. This makes this entirely new CoSbS1−xSex alloy very attractive for further optimizations and potential usage in thermoelectric applications. PMID:28425457

Effect of the interface on the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of bismuth telluride films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Tang-Yu; Wang, Kuan-Yu; Fang, Te-Hua; Huang, Chao-Chun

2018-02-01

Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) is a type of thermoelectric material used for energy generation that does not cause pollution. Increasing the thermoelectric conversion efficiency (ZT) is one of the most important steps in the development of thermoelectric components. In this study, we use molecular dynamics to investigate the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of quintuple layers of Bi2Te3 nanofilms with different atomic arrangements at the interface and study the effects of varying layers, angles, and grain boundaries. The results indicate that the Bi2Te3 nanofilm perfect substrate has the ideal Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity, and the maximum yield stress is observed for a thickness of ∼90 Å. As the interface changed, the structural disorder of atomic arrangement affected the mechanical properties; moreover, the phonons encounter lattice disordered atomic region will produce scattering reduce heat conduction. The results of this investigation are helpful for the application of Bi2Te3 nanofilms as thermoelectric materials.

ZnTe Alloying Effect on Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type PbTe.

PubMed

Ahn, Kyunghan; Shin, Hocheol; Im, Jino; Park, Sang Hyun; Chung, In

2017-02-01

We investigate the effect of ZnTe incorporation on PbTe to enhance thermoelectric performance. We report structural, microscopic, and spectroscopic characterizations, ab initio theoretical calculations, and thermoelectric transport properties of Pb 0.985 Na 0.015 Te-x% ZnTe (x = 0, 1, 2, 4). We find that the solid solubility limit of ZnTe in PbTe is less than 1 mol %. The introduction of 2% ZnTe in p-type Pb 0.985 Na 0.015 Te reduces the lattice thermal conductivity through the ZnTe precipitates at the microscale. Consequently, a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 1.73 at 700 K is achieved for the spark plasma-sintered Pb 0.985 Na 0.015 Te-2% ZnTe, which arises from a decreased lattice thermal conductivity of ∼0.69 W m -1 K -1 at ∼700 K in comparison with Pb 0.985 Na 0.015 Te.

Strong Reduction of Thermal Conductivity and Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties in CoSbS1-xSex Paracostibite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmielowski, Radoslaw; Bhattacharya, Sandip; Jacob, Stéphane; Péré, Daniel; Jacob, Alain; Moriya, Kenzo; Delatouche, Bruno; Roussel, Pascal; Madsen, Georg; Dennler, Gilles

2017-04-01

In order to reduce the thermal conductivity of CoSbS, a newly developed thermoelectric semiconductor, we have aimed at intentionally induce atomic disorder in its structure. This endeavor was guided by Density Functional Theory(DFT) calculations which indicated that substituting sulfur with selenium might be easily achievable experimentally because of the low formation energy of this point defect. Thereby, CoSbS1-xSex compounds having 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 have been synthesized by solid state reaction. Besides the expected semiconducting paracostibite phase, we have observed the appearance of a semimetallic costibite phase, never reported experimentally before. This cross-fertilized theoretical and experimental approach allowed us to reduce by 50% the thermal conductivity of paracostibite and therefore reach a maximum zT of 0.62 at 730 K. This makes this entirely new CoSbS1-xSex alloy very attractive for further optimizations and potential usage in thermoelectric applications.

Effect of Spark Plasma Sintering on the Structure and Properties of Ti1−xZrxNiSn Half-Heusler Alloys

PubMed Central

Downie, Ruth A.; Popuri, Srinivas R.; Ning, Huanpo; Reece, Mike J.; Bos, Jan-Willem G.

2014-01-01

XNiSn (X = Ti, Zr and Hf) half-Heusler alloys have promising thermoelectric properties and are attracting enormous interest for use in waste heat recovery. In particular, multiphase behaviour has been linked to reduced lattice thermal conductivities, which enables improved energy conversion efficiencies. This manuscript describes the impact of spark plasma sintering (SPS) on the phase distributions and thermoelectric properties of Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn based half-Heuslers. Rietveld analysis reveals small changes in composition, while measurement of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivities reveals that all SPS treated samples are electron doped compared to the as-prepared samples. The lattice thermal conductivities fall between 4 W·m−1·K−1 at 350 K and 3 W·m−1·K−1 at 740 K. A maximum ZT = 0.7 at 740 K is observed in a sample with nominal Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn composition. PMID:28788234

Enhancing the Thermoelectric Figure of Merit by Low-Dimensional Electrical Transport in Phonon-Glass Crystals.

PubMed

Mi, Xue-Ya; Yu, Xiaoxiang; Yao, Kai-Lun; Huang, Xiaoming; Yang, Nuo; Lü, Jing-Tao

2015-08-12

Low-dimensional electronic and glassy phononic transport are two important ingredients of highly efficient thermoelectric materials, from which two branches of thermoelectric research have emerged. One focuses on controlling electronic transport in the low dimension, while the other focuses on multiscale phonon engineering in the bulk. Recent work has benefited much from combining these two approaches, e.g., phonon engineering in low-dimensional materials. Here we propose to employ the low-dimensional electronic structure in bulk phonon-glass crystals as an alternative way to increase the thermoelectric efficiency. Through first-principles electronic structure calculations and classical molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the π-π-stacking bis(dithienothiophene) molecular crystal is a natural candidate for such an approach. This is determined by the nature of its chemical bonding. Without any optimization of the material parameters, we obtained a maximum room-temperature figure of merit, ZT, of 1.48 at optimal doping, thus validating our idea.

Effect of water withdrawal on formation of free radical, proline accumulation and activities of antioxidant enzymes in ZAT12-transformed transgenic tomato plants.

PubMed

Chandra Rai, Avinash; Singh, Major; Shah, Kavita

2012-12-01

Water stress often leads to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their excessive production alters the activities of enzymes involved in their removal. ZAT12 is a member of stress-responsive C(2)H(2) type Zinc Finger Protein (ZFP) reported to control the expression of several stress-activated genes in plants through ROS signaling. The ZAT12-transformed tomato lines (cv. H-86 variety Kashi Vishesh) when subjected to water withdrawal for 7, 14 and 21 days revealed significant and consistent changes in activities of enzymes SOD, CAT, APX, GR and POD paralleled with an increased proline levels. Unlike that in wild-type tomato, the leaf superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide concentrations in the transformed tomato plants did not alter much, suggesting a well regulated formation of free radicals suppressing oxidative stress in the latter. Results suggest BcZAT12-transformed tomato lines ZT1, ZT2 and ZT6 to be better adapted to drought stress tolerance by accumulation of osmolyte proline and increased antioxidant response triggered by the ZAT12 gene. Therefore, the ZAT12-transformed tomato cv. H-86 lines will prove useful for higher yield of tomato crop in regions affected with severe drought stress. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Rare earth chalcogenide Ce3Te4 as high efficiency high temperature thermoelectric material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaochun; Yang, Ronggui; Zhang, Yong; Zhang, Peihong; Xue, Yu

2011-05-01

The electronic band structures of Ce3Te4 have been studied using the first-principles density-functional theory calculations. It is found that the density of states of Ce3Te4 has a very high delta-shaped peak appearing 0.21 eV above the Fermi level, which mainly comes from the f orbital electrons of the rare-earth element Ce. Using the simple theory proposed by Mahan and Sofo, [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 93, 7436 (1996)], we obtain an ideal value of zT=13.5 for Ce3Te4 at T=1200 K, suggesting that the rare-earth chalcogenide Ce3Te4 could be a promising high efficiency high temperature thermoelectric material.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Thermoelectric properties of graphene nanoribbons, junctions and superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y.; Jayasekera, T.; Calzolari, A.; Kim, K. W.; Buongiorno Nardelli, M.

2010-09-01

Using model interaction Hamiltonians for both electrons and phonons and Green's function formalism for ballistic transport, we have studied the thermal conductance and the thermoelectric properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNR), GNR junctions and periodic superlattices. Among our findings we have established the role that interfaces play in determining the thermoelectric response of GNR systems both across single junctions and in periodic superlattices. In general, increasing the number of interfaces in a single GNR system increases the peak ZT values that are thus maximized in a periodic superlattice. Moreover, we proved that the thermoelectric behavior is largely controlled by the width of the narrower component of the junction. Finally, we have demonstrated that chevron-type GNRs recently synthesized should display superior thermoelectric properties.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janka, Oliver; Zaikina, Julia V.; Bux, Sabah K.

Within the field of thermoelectric materials for energy conversion magnesium silicide, Mg2Si, is an outstanding candidate due to its low density, abundant constituents and low toxicity. However electronic and thermal tuning of the material is a required necessity to improve its Figure of Merit, zT. Doping of Yb via reactive YbH2 into the structure is performed with the goal of reducing the thermal conductivity. Hydrogen is released as a by-product at high temperatures allowing for facile incorporation of Yb into the structure. We report on the properties of Yb-and Bi-doped Mg2Si prepared with MgH2 and YbH2 with the focus onmore » the synthetic conditions, and samples' microstructure, investigated by various electron microscopy techniques. Yb is found in the form of both Yb3Si5 inclusions and Yb dopant segregated at the grain boundary substituting for Mg. The addition of 1 at% Yb concentration reduced the thermal conductivity, providing a value of 30 mW/cm K at 800 K. In order to adjust carrier concentration, the sample is additionally doped with Bi. The impact of the microstructure on the transport properties of the obtained material is studied. Idealy, the reduction of the thermal conductivity is achieved by doping with Yb and the electronic transport is adjusted by doping with Bi. Large grain microstructure facilitates the electronic transport. However, the synthetic conditions that provide the optimized microstructure for electrical transport do not facilitate the additional Yb dopant incorporation. Therefore, the Yb and Bi containing sample with the optimized microstructure provides a zT=0.46 at 800 K.« less

Synergistic Strategy to Enhance the Thermoelectric Properties of CoSbS1-xSex Compounds via Solid Solution.

PubMed

Yao, Wei; Yang, Dingfeng; Yan, Yanci; Peng, Kunling; Zhan, Heng; Liu, Anping; Lu, Xu; Wang, Guoyu; Zhou, Xiaoyuan

2017-03-29

High thermal conductivity of CoSbS-based limited its own prospect application in thermoelectric energy conversion. Solid solution is an effective approach to optimize the performance of thermoelectric materials with high lattice thermal conductivity because of the enhanced phonons scattering from disorder atoms. In this paper, we have synthesized and measured the thermoelectric properties of solid solution CoSbS 1-x Se x (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.30) series samples. The collaborative optimization (enhancing the power factors and reducing the thermal conductivities) to add zT values were realized via substitution of S atoms with the isoelectronic Se atoms in the matrix. Meanwhile, the lowest room temperature lattice thermal conductivity in CoSbS-based materials is obtained (4.72 W m -1 K -1 ) at present. Benefiting from the results of synergistic strategy, a zT of 0.35 was achieved at 923 K for sample CoSbS 0.85 Se 0.15 , a 59% improvement as compared with that of the pristine CoSbS. Band calculation demonstrated that CoSbS 0.85 Se 0.15 present a similar band dispersion with CoSbS. The mechanism of point defect scattering for reducing the lattice thermal conductivity at room temperature, was also analyzed by the Callaway model. The contributions to decrease the room temperature lattice thermal conductivity from the mass and the strain fluctuation in the crystal are comparable. These results can also be extended to other high-efficiency thermoelectric materials with stiff bond and smaller Gruneisen parameters.

Tuning the charge carrier density in the thermoelectric colusite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Fiseong S.; Suekuni, Koichiro; Nishiate, Hirotaka; Ohta, Michihiro; Tanaka, Hiromi I.; Takabatake, Toshiro

2016-05-01

The colusite Cu26V2Sn6S32 has high potential as a thermoelectric material at medium-high temperatures because of a large Seebeck coefficient (S ≃ 220 μV/K) and rather small electrical resistivity (ρ ≃ 100 μΩm) at 660 K. To improve the thermoelectric performance, we have tuned the hole carrier density p by substituting Zn for Cu in Cu26-xZnxV2Sn6S32 (x = 1-3) and starting with Cu and Sn deficient compositions in Cu26-yV2Sn6S32 (y = 1, 2) and Cu26V2Sn6-zS32 (z = 0.25-1), respectively. Powder x-ray diffraction and electron-probe microanalysis showed that the Zn-substituted samples and Sn-deficient (z ≥ 0.5) samples are formed in a single phase, whereas the Cu26-yV2Sn6S32 samples are composed of two phases with slightly different compositions. Within these samples, the value of p at 300 K varies in the range between 3.6 × 1020 and 2.8 × 1021 cm-3. The relation between p and S led to the effective mass m* of 4-7m0 for the hole carriers. The large S of the colusite is therefore ascribed to the heavy mass carriers of the valence band top. The decreases in p with x and y reduced the dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT, whereas the increase in p with z raised ZT from 0.56 (z = 0) to 0.62 (z = 0.5) at 660 K.

Fe-Doping Effect on Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type Bi0.48Sb1.52Te₃.

PubMed

Mun, Hyeona; Lee, Kyu Hyoung; Kim, Suk Jun; Kim, Jong-Young; Lee, Jeong Hoon; Lim, Jae-Hong; Park, Hee Jung; Roh, Jong Wook; Kim, Sung Wng

2015-03-05

The substitutional doping approach has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve ZT of Bi₂Te₃-based thermoelectric raw materials. We herein report the Fe-doping effects on electronic and thermal transport properties of polycrystalline bulks of p -type Bi 0.48 Sb 1.52 Te₃. After a small amount of Fe-doping on Bi/Sb-sites, the power factor could be enhanced due to the optimization of carrier concentration. Additionally, lattice thermal conductivity was reduced by the intensified point-defect phonon scattering originating from the mass difference between the host atoms (Bi/Sb) and dopants (Fe). An enhanced ZT of 1.09 at 300 K was obtained in 1.0 at% Fe-doped Bi 0.48 Sb 1.52 Te₃ by these synergetic effects.

Thermoelectric figure of merit of polymeric systems for low-power generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigarini, Luigi; Ruini, Alice; Catellani, Alessandra; Calzolari, Arrigo

2017-10-01

The request of thermoelectric materials for low-power and flexible applications fosters the investigation of the intrinsic electron and thermal transport of conducting polymeric chains, which are building blocks of the complex variety of organic composites proposed in experimental samples. Using calculations from first principles and the Landauer approach for both electron and phonon carriers, we study the thermoelectric figure of merit zT of three representative and largely used polymer chains, namely poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polyaniline and polyfluorene. Our results provide an upper-limit estimate of zT, due to the intrinsic electronic and vibrational properties of the selected compounds, and pave the way to a microscopic understanding of the mechanisms that affect their electronic and transport characteristics in terms of structural distortions and chemical doping.

Fabrication and Thermoelectric Properties of n-Type CoSb2.85Te0.15 Using Selective Laser Melting.

PubMed

Yan, Yonggao; Ke, Hongquan; Yang, Jihui; Uher, Ctirad; Tang, Xinfeng

2018-04-25

We report a nonequilibrium fabrication method of n-type CoSb 2.85 Te 0.15 skutterudites using selective laser melting (SLM) technology. A powder of CoSb 2.85 Te 0.15 was prepared by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) and served as the raw material for the SLM process. The effect of SLM processing parameters such as the laser power and scanning speed on the quality of the forming CoSb 2.85 Te 0.15 thin layers was systematically analyzed, and the optimal processing window for SLM was determined. A brief postannealing at 450 °C for 4 h, following the SLM process, has resulted in a phase-pure CoSb 2.85 Te 0.15 bulk material deposited on a Ti substrate. The Seebeck coefficient of the annealed SLM prepared bulk material is close to that of the sample prepared by the traditional sintering method, and its maximum ZT value reached 0.56 at 823 K. Moreover, a Ti-Co-Sb ternary compound transition layer of about 70 μm in thickness was found at a dense interface between CoSb 2.85 Te 0.15 and the Ti substrate. The contact resistivity was measured as 37.1 μΩcm 2 . The results demonstrate that SLM, coupled with postannealing, can be used for fabrication of incongruently melting skutterudite compounds on heterogeneous substrates. This lays an important foundation for the follow-up research utilizing energy efficient SHS and SLM processes in rapid printing of thermoelectric modules.

Attempting to realize n-type BiCuSeO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaoxuan; Feng, Dan; He, Jiaqing; Zhao, Li-Dong

2018-02-01

As an intrinsic p-type semiconductor, BiCuSeO has been widely researched in the thermoelectric community, however, n-type BiCuSeO has not been reported so far. In this work, we successfully realized n-type BiCuSeO through carrying out several successive efforts. Seebeck coefficient of BiCuSeO was increased through introducing extra Bi/Cu to fill the Bi/Cu vacancies that may produce holes, and the maximum Seebeck coefficient was increase from +447 μVK-1 for undoped BiCuSeO to +638 μVK-1 for Bi1.04Cu1.05SeO. The Seebeck coefficient of Bi1.04Cu1.05SeO was changed from p-type to n-type through electron doping through introducing Br/I in Se sites, the maximum negative Seebeck coefficient can reach ∼ -465 μVK-1 and -543 μVK-1 for Bi1.04Cu1.05Se1-xIxO and Bi1.04Cu1.05Se1-xBrxO, respectively. Then, after compositing Bi1.04Cu1.05Se0.99Br0.01O with Ag, n-type BiCuSeO can be absolutely obtained in the whole temperature range of 300-873 K, the maximum ZT 0.05 was achieved at 475 K in the Bi1.04Cu1.05Se0.99Br0.01O+15% Ag. Our report indicates that it is possible to realize n-type conducting behaviors in BiCuSeO system.

Comparative genome analysis of Prevotella intermedia strain isolated from infected root canal reveals features related to pathogenicity and adaptation.

PubMed

Ruan, Yunfeng; Shen, Lu; Zou, Yan; Qi, Zhengnan; Yin, Jun; Jiang, Jie; Guo, Liang; He, Lin; Chen, Zijiang; Tang, Zisheng; Qin, Shengying

2015-02-25

Many species of the genus Prevotella are pathogens that cause oral diseases. Prevotella intermedia is known to cause various oral disorders e.g. periodontal disease, periapical periodontitis and noma as well as colonize in the respiratory tract and be associated with cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchitis. It is of clinical significance to identify the main drive of its various adaptation and pathogenicity. In order to explore the intra-species genetic differences among strains of Prevotella intermedia of different niches, we isolated a strain Prevotella intermedia ZT from the infected root canal of a Chinese patient with periapical periodontitis and gained a draft genome sequence. We annotated the genome and compared it with the genomes of other taxa in the genus Prevotella. The raw data set, consisting of approximately 65X-coverage reads, was trimmed and assembled into contigs from which 2165 ORFs were predicted. The comparison of the Prevotella intermedia ZT genome sequence with the published genome sequence of Prevotella intermedia 17 and Prevotella intermedia ATCC25611 revealed that ~14% of the genes were strain-specific. The Preveotella intermedia strains share a set of conserved genes contributing to its adaptation and pathogenic and possess strain-specific genes especially those involved in adhesion and secreting bacteriocin. The Prevotella intermedia ZT shares similar gene content with other taxa of genus Prevotella. The genomes of the genus Prevotella is highly dynamic with relative conserved parts: on average, about half of the genes in one Prevotella genome were not included in another genome of the different Prevotella species. The degree of conservation varied with different pathways: the ability of amino acid biosynthesis varied greatly with species but the pathway of cell wall components biosynthesis were nearly constant. Phylogenetic tree shows that the taxa from different niches are scarcely distributed among clades. Prevotella intermedia ZT belongs to a genus marked with highly dynamic genomes. The specific genes of Prevotella intermedia indicate that adhesion, competing with surrounding microbes and horizontal gene transfer are the main drive of the evolution of Prevotella intermedia.

Altered energy intake and the amplitude of the body temperature rhythm are associated with changes in phase, but not amplitude, of clock gene expression in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus in vivo.

PubMed

Goh, Grace H; Mark, Peter J; Maloney, Shane K

2016-01-01

Circadian rhythms in mammals are driven by a central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In vitro, temperature cycles within the physiological range can act as potent entraining cues for biological clocks. We altered the body temperature (Tc) rhythm in rats by manipulating energy intake (EI) to determine whether EI-induced changes in Tc oscillations are associated with changes in SCN clock gene rhythms in vivo. Male Wistar rats (n = 16 per diet) were maintained on either an ad libitum diet (CON), a high energy cafeteria diet (CAF), or a calorie restricted diet (CR), and Tc was recorded every 30 min for 6-7 weeks. SCN tissue was harvested from rats at zeitgeber time (ZT) 0, ZT6, ZT12, or ZT18. Expression of the clock genes Bmal1, Per2, Cry1, and Rev-erbα, the heat shock transcription factor Hsf1, and the heat shock protein Hsp90aa1, were determined using qPCR. The circadian profile of gene expression for each gene was characterized using cosinor analysis. Compared to the CON rats, the amplitude of Tc was decreased in CAF rats by 0.1 °C (p < 0.001), and increased in CR rats by 0.3 °C (p < 0.001). The amplitude of Hsp90aa1 expression was lowest in CAF rats and highest in CR rats (p = 0.045), but the amplitude of all of the clock genes and Hsf1 were unaffected by diet (p > 0.25). Compared to CON, phase advances of the Tc, Bmal1, and Per2 rhythms were observed with CR feeding (p < 0.05), but CAF feeding elicited no significant changes in phase. The present results indicate that in vivo, the SCN is largely resistant to entrainment by EI-induced changes in the Tc rhythm, although some phase entrainment may occur.

Highly Flexible and Conductive Glycerol-Doped PEDOT:PSS Films Prepared Under an Electric Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki; Aizawa, Kengo; Chonan, Yasunori; Komiyama, Takao; Aoyama, Takashi; Sakai, Eiichi; Qiu, Jianhui; Sato, Naoki

2018-06-01

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films doped with several sugar alcohols, viz. xylitol (XL), glycerol (GL), and polyglycerol (PG), at various levels have been synthesized and their thermoelectric properties studied. Among these specimens, 2.5 vol.% GL-doped films showed the best performance with electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and power factor S 2 σ at room temperature reaching 1040 S/cm, 19 μV/K, and 37 μW/m-K2, respectively. Next, we synthesized films under an electric field E pr for the purpose of crystal growth. GL-doped films showed σ enhancement with increase of E pr. The highest σ value of 1300 S/cm was attained at E pr = 4 kV/cm. S and thermal conductivity κ values were almost independent of E pr. The ZT value was calculated to be between 0.017 and 0.101 at room temperature. We also examined film flexibility. High flexibility was achieved on GL doping, and it was not deteriorated when synthesized under an electric field.

Highly Flexible and Conductive Glycerol-Doped PEDOT:PSS Films Prepared Under an Electric Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki; Aizawa, Kengo; Chonan, Yasunori; Komiyama, Takao; Aoyama, Takashi; Sakai, Eiichi; Qiu, Jianhui; Sato, Naoki

2018-04-01

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films doped with several sugar alcohols, viz. xylitol (XL), glycerol (GL), and polyglycerol (PG), at various levels have been synthesized and their thermoelectric properties studied. Among these specimens, 2.5 vol.% GL-doped films showed the best performance with electrical conductivity σ, Seebeck coefficient S, and power factor S 2 σ at room temperature reaching 1040 S/cm, 19 μV/K, and 37 μW/m-K2, respectively. Next, we synthesized films under an electric field E pr for the purpose of crystal growth. GL-doped films showed σ enhancement with increase of E pr. The highest σ value of 1300 S/cm was attained at E pr = 4 kV/cm. S and thermal conductivity κ values were almost independent of E pr. The ZT value was calculated to be between 0.017 and 0.101 at room temperature. We also examined film flexibility. High flexibility was achieved on GL doping, and it was not deteriorated when synthesized under an electric field.

Enhanced thermoelectric efficiency of porous silicene nanoribbons.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Hatef; Sangtarash, Sara; Lambert, Colin J

2015-03-30

There is a critical need to attain new sustainable materials for direct upgrade of waste heat to electrical energy via the thermoelectric effect. Here we demonstrate that the thermoelectric performance of silicene nanoribbons can be improved dramatically by introducing nanopores and tuning the Fermi energy. We predict that values of electronic thermoelectric figure of merit ZTe up to 160 are achievable, provided the Fermi energy is located approximately 100 meV above the charge neutrality point. Including the effect of phonons yields a value for the full figure of merit of ZT = 3.5. Furthermore the sign of the thermopower S can be varied with achievable values as high as S = +/- 500 μV/K. As a method of tuning the Fermi energy, we analyse the effect of doping the silicene with either a strong electron donor (TTF) or a strong electron acceptor (TCNQ) and demonstrate that adsorbed layers of the former increases ZTe to a value of 3.1, which is insensitive to temperature over the range 100 K - 400 K. This combination of a high, temperature-insensitive ZTe, and the ability to choose the sign of the thermopower identifies nanoporous silicene as an ideal thermoelectric material with the potential for unprecedented performance.

Fe-Doping Effect on Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3

PubMed Central

Mun, Hyeona; Lee, Kyu Hyoung; Kim, Suk Jun; Kim, Jong-Young; Lee, Jeong Hoon; Lim, Jae-Hong; Park, Hee Jung; Roh, Jong Wook; Kim, Sung Wng

2015-01-01

The substitutional doping approach has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve ZT of Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric raw materials. We herein report the Fe-doping effects on electronic and thermal transport properties of polycrystalline bulks of p-type Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3. After a small amount of Fe-doping on Bi/Sb-sites, the power factor could be enhanced due to the optimization of carrier concentration. Additionally, lattice thermal conductivity was reduced by the intensified point-defect phonon scattering originating from the mass difference between the host atoms (Bi/Sb) and dopants (Fe). An enhanced ZT of 1.09 at 300 K was obtained in 1.0 at% Fe-doped Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3 by these synergetic effects. PMID:28787981

Fabrication of Bi–Sb–Te Thermoelectric by Cold-Pressed Sintering for Motorcycle Exhaust.

PubMed

Kao, Mu-Jung; Chen, Ming-Jing

2017-04-01

This study was conducted on the Bi–Sb–Te thermoelectric material which is cold-pressed Sintering under 750 Mpa to make square thermoelectric pairs with size 8.2 mm × 8.2 mm and thicknesses 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm. The zone melting method was used to acquire P-type thermoelectric material Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 and N-type thermoelectric material Bi2Te2.5Se0.5. At temperature 383 K, the measured Seebeck coefficient of Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 is 222 μV/K, and its thermoelectric figure of merit ZT is 1.35. At temperature 400 K, the measured Seebeck coefficient of Bi2Te2.5Se0.5 is 210 μV/K, and its thermoelectric figure of merit ZT is 1.13. Using Solder paste Sn42Bi58 and copper electrode plate are in series connection with 16 pieces of P/N thermoelectric material to form thermoelectric modules. The thermoelectric module is actually pasted on the motorcycle waste heat source to be evaluated the performance, making the cold-end temperature dissipation heat can enhance the temperature difference between it so as to increase the output power. Increasing the leg thickness of thermoelectric module and making the about 35 °C temperature-difference of those can obviously enhance the performance of in terms of its voltage, its thermoelectric figure of merit ZT and output power of the thermoelectric modules.

Higher thermoelectric performance of Zintl phases (Eu0.5Yb0.5)1-xCaxMg2Bi2 by band engineering and strain fluctuation.

PubMed

Shuai, Jing; Geng, Huiyuan; Lan, Yucheng; Zhu, Zhuan; Wang, Chao; Liu, Zihang; Bao, Jiming; Chu, Ching-Wu; Sui, Jiehe; Ren, Zhifeng

2016-07-19

Complex Zintl phases, especially antimony (Sb)-based YbZn0.4Cd1.6Sb2 with figure-of-merit (ZT) of ∼1.2 at 700 K, are good candidates as thermoelectric materials because of their intrinsic "electron-crystal, phonon-glass" nature. Here, we report the rarely studied p-type bismuth (Bi)-based Zintl phases (Ca,Yb,Eu)Mg2Bi2 with a record thermoelectric performance. Phase-pure EuMg2Bi2 is successfully prepared with suppressed bipolar effect to reach ZT ∼ 1. Further partial substitution of Eu by Ca and Yb enhanced ZT to ∼1.3 for Eu0.2Yb0.2Ca0.6Mg2Bi2 at 873 K. Density-functional theory (DFT) simulation indicates the alloying has no effect on the valence band, but does affect the conduction band. Such band engineering results in good p-type thermoelectric properties with high carrier mobility. Using transmission electron microscopy, various types of strains are observed and are believed to be due to atomic mass and size fluctuations. Point defects, strain, dislocations, and nanostructures jointly contribute to phonon scattering, confirmed by the semiclassical theoretical calculations based on a modified Debye-Callaway model of lattice thermal conductivity. This work indicates Bi-based (Ca,Yb,Eu)Mg2Bi2 is better than the Sb-based Zintl phases.

Enhanced thermoelectric properties in bulk nanowire heterostructure-based nanocomposites through minority carrier blocking.

PubMed

Yang, Haoran; Bahk, Je-Hyeong; Day, Tristan; Mohammed, Amr M S; Snyder, G Jeffrey; Shakouri, Ali; Wu, Yue

2015-02-11

To design superior thermoelectric materials the minority carrier blocking effect in which the unwanted bipolar transport is prevented by the interfacial energy barriers in the heterogeneous nanostructures has been theoretically proposed recently. The theory predicts an enhanced power factor and a reduced bipolar thermal conductivity for materials with a relatively low doping level, which could lead to an improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). Here we show the first experimental demonstration of the minority carrier blocking in lead telluride-silver telluride (PbTe-Ag2Te) nanowire heterostructure-based nanocomposites. The nanocomposites are made by sintering PbTe-Ag2Te nanowire heterostructures produced in a highly scalable solution-phase synthesis. Compared with Ag2Te nanowire-based nanocomposite produced in similar method, the PbTe-Ag2Te nanocomposite containing ∼5 atomic % PbTe exhibits enhanced Seebeck coefficient, reduced thermal conductivity, and ∼40% improved ZT, which can be well explained by the theoretical modeling based on the Boltzmann transport equations when energy barriers for both electrons and holes at the heterostructure interfaces are considered in the calculations. For this p-type PbTe-Ag2Te nanocomposite, the barriers for electrons, that is, minority carriers, are primarily responsible for the ZT enhancement. By extending this approach to other nanostructured systems, it represents a key step toward low-cost solution-processable nanomaterials without heavy doping level for high-performance thermoelectric energy harvesting.

Modelling the influence of the sporulation temperature upon the bacterial spore heat resistance, application to heating process calculation.

PubMed

Leguérinel, I; Couvert, O; Mafart, P

2007-02-28

Environmental conditions of sporulation influence bacterial heat resistance. For different Bacillus species a linear Bigelow type relationship between the logarithm of D values determined at constant heating temperature and the temperature of sporulation was observed. The absence of interaction between sporulation and heating temperatures allows the combination of this new relationship with the classical Bigelow model. The parameters zT and zT(spo) of this global model were fitted to different sets of data regarding different Bacillus species: B. cereus, B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. coagulans and B. stearothermophilus. The origin of raw products or food process conditions before a heat treatment can lead to warm temperature conditions of sporulation and to a dramatic increase of the heat resistance of the generated spores. In this case, provided that the temperature of sporulation can be assessed, this model can be easily implemented to rectify F values on account of possible increase of thermal resistance of spores and to ensure the sterilisation efficacy.

Thermoelectric properties of PbTe with indium and bismuth secondary phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bali, A.; Chetty, R.; Mallik, R. C.

2016-06-01

Lead telluride (PbTe) with indium (In) and bismuth (Bi) as micrometer sized secondary phases dispersed throughout the bulk has been prepared by matrix encapsulation method. In and Bi are not found to substitute in PbTe as shown by Rietveld and room temperature Raman studies but are present as secondary phases. Increased values of temperature dependent electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient show the effect of interfaces on electronic transport. As expected, thermal conductivity is found to reduce on addition of secondary phases due to a reduced electronic contribution, further confirming that electron scattering at interfaces is more important than phonon scattering in such systems for thermoelectric properties. However, due to the reduction in the power factor of the In and Bi added samples from that of the parent PbTe, the overall thermoelectric figure of merit ( zT) does not increase beyond that of PbTe, for which the highest value of 0.7 is obtained at 778 K.

High-performance shape-engineerable thermoelectric painting

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Hoon; Jo, Seungki; Kwon, Beomjin; Kim, Fredrick; Ban, Hyeong Woo; Lee, Ji Eun; Gu, Da Hwi; Lee, Se Hwa; Hwang, Younghun; Kim, Jin-Sang; Hyun, Dow-Bin; Lee, Sukbin; Choi, Kyoung Jin; Jo, Wook; Son, Jae Sung

2016-01-01

Output power of thermoelectric generators depends on device engineering minimizing heat loss as well as inherent material properties. However, the device engineering has been largely neglected due to the limited flat or angular shape of devices. Considering that the surface of most heat sources where these planar devices are attached is curved, a considerable amount of heat loss is inevitable. To address this issue, here, we present the shape-engineerable thermoelectric painting, geometrically compatible to surfaces of any shape. We prepared Bi2Te3-based inorganic paints using the molecular Sb2Te3 chalcogenidometalate as a sintering aid for thermoelectric particles, with ZT values of 0.67 for n-type and 1.21 for p-type painted materials that compete the bulk values. Devices directly brush-painted onto curved surfaces produced the high output power of 4.0 mW cm−2. This approach paves the way to designing materials and devices that can be easily transferred to other applications. PMID:27834369

Thermoelectric skutterudite compositions and methods for producing the same

DOEpatents

Ren, Zhifeng; Yang, Jian; Yan, Xiao; He, Qinyu; Chen, Gang; Hao, Qing

2014-11-11

Compositions related to skutterudite-based thermoelectric materials are disclosed. Such compositions can result in materials that have enhanced ZT values relative to one or more bulk materials from which the compositions are derived. Thermoelectric materials such as n-type and p-type skutterudites with high thermoelectric figures-of-merit can include materials with filler atoms and/or materials formed by compacting particles (e.g., nanoparticles) into a material with a plurality of grains each having a portion having a skutterudite-based structure. Methods of forming thermoelectric skutterudites, which can include the use of hot press processes to consolidate particles, are also disclosed. The particles to be consolidated can be derived from (e.g., grinded from), skutterudite-based bulk materials, elemental materials, other non-Skutterudite-based materials, or combinations of such materials.

Solution-Processed Cu2Se Nanocrystal Films with Bulk-Like Thermoelectric Performance.

PubMed

Forster, Jason D; Lynch, Jared J; Coates, Nelson E; Liu, Jun; Jang, Hyejin; Zaia, Edmond; Gordon, Madeleine P; Szybowski, Maxime; Sahu, Ayaskanta; Cahill, David G; Urban, Jeffrey J

2017-06-05

Thermoelectric power generation can play a key role in a sustainable energy future by converting waste heat from power plants and other industrial processes into usable electrical power. Current thermoelectric devices, however, require energy intensive manufacturing processes such as alloying and spark plasma sintering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a p-type thermoelectric material, copper selenide (Cu 2 Se), utilizing solution-processing and thermal annealing to produce a thin film that achieves a figure of merit, ZT, which is as high as its traditionally processed counterpart, a value of 0.14 at room temperature. This is the first report of a fully solution-processed nanomaterial achieving performance equivalent to its bulk form and represents a general strategy to reduce the energy required to manufacture advanced energy conversion and harvesting materials.

Extreme low thermal conductivity in nanoscale 3D Si phononic crystal with spherical pores.

PubMed

Yang, Lina; Yang, Nuo; Li, Baowen

2014-01-01

In this work, we propose a nanoscale three-dimensional (3D) Si phononic crystal (PnC) with spherical pores, which can reduce the thermal conductivity of bulk Si by a factor up to 10,000 times at room temperature. Thermal conductivity of Si PnCs depends on the porosity, for example, the thermal conductivity of Si PnCs with porosity 50% is 300 times smaller than that of bulk Si. The phonon participation ratio spectra demonstrate that more phonons are localized as the porosity increases. The thermal conductivity is insensitive to the temperature changes from room temperature to 1100 K. The extreme-low thermal conductivity could lead to a larger value of ZT than unity as the periodic structure affects very little the electric conductivity.

Remarkable enhancement in thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO through biaxial strain modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chunhong; Guo, Donglin; Li, Kejian; Shao, Bin; Chen, Dengming; Ma, Yilong; Sun, Jianchun

2018-03-01

We propose to further enhance the thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO using the biaxial strain. The effect of biaxial strain on the thermoelectric property of BiCuSeO is investigated by using the first-principles calculations combined with the Semiclaasical Boltzmann theory. When the biaxial strain is applied, the Seebeck coefficient is largely enhanced by tensile strain, while the electrical conductivity can be greatly enhanced by compressive strain. The largest zT value of 1.7 at 900 K is then conservatively estimated by using the experimental thermal conductivity, which is 4 times larger than that without biaxial strain. Our results indicate that the biaxial strain could be an effect method to enhance the thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO.

Few-quintuple Bi₂Te₃ nanofilms as potential thermoelectric materials.

PubMed

Zhou, Gang; Wang, Dong

2015-01-29

The thermoelectric transport properties of p-type Bi₂Te₃ nanofilms with various quintuple layers (QL) were systematically investigated based on ab initio electronic structure calculations and Boltzmann transport equations. Our results demonstrated that p-type few-quintuple Bi₂Te₃ nanofilms could exhibit high thermoelectric performance. It was found out that the 1QL Bi₂Te₃ nanofilm had the highest ZT value as compared with other nanofilms, which is mainly attributed to the significant enhancement of the density of states near the edge of the valence band resulting from the strong coupling between the top and bottom electronic states and the quantum confinement effect. The dependence of the thermoelectric transport properties on carrier concentration and temperature was also discussed in detail, which can be useful for searching high-efficiency few-quintuple Bi₂Te₃ thermoelectric nanofilms.

Thermoelectric Skutterudite Compositions and Methods for Producing the Same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Jian (Inventor); Yan, Xiao (Inventor); Ren, Zhifeng (Inventor); Hao, Qing (Inventor); He, Qinyu (Inventor); Chen, Gang (Inventor)

2014-01-01

Compositions related to skutterudite-based thermoelectric materials are disclosed. Such compositions can result in materials that have enhanced ZT values relative to one or more bulk materials from which the compositions are derived. Thermoelectric materials such as n-type and p-type skutterudites with high thermoelectric figures-of-merit can include materials with filler atoms and/or materials formed by compacting particles (e.g., nanoparticles) into a material with a plurality of grains each having a portion having a skutterudite-based structure. Methods of forming thermoelectric skutterudites, which can include the use of hot press processes to consolidate particles, are also disclosed. The particles to be consolidated can be derived from (e.g., grinded from), skutterudite-based bulk materials, elemental materials, other non-Skutterudite-based materials, or combinations of such materials.

Forecasting the timing of activation of rainfall-induced landslides. An application of GA-SAKe to the Acri case study (Calabria, Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gariano, Stefano Luigi; Terranova, Oreste; Greco, Roberto; Iaquinta, Pasquale; Iovine, Giulio

2013-04-01

In Calabria (Southern Italy), rainfall-induced landslides often cause significant economic loss and victims. The timing of activation of rainfall-induced landslides can be predicted by means of either empirical ("hydrological") or physically-based ("complete") approaches. In this study, by adopting the Genetic-Algorithm based release of the hydrological model SAKe (Self Adaptive Kernel), the relationships between the rainfall series and the dates of historical activations of the Acri slope movement, a large rock slide located in the Sila Massif (Northern Calabria), have been investigated. SAKe is a self-adaptive hydrological model, based on a black-box approach and on the assumption of a linear and steady slope-stability response to rainfall. The model can be employed to predict the timing of occurrence of rainfall-induced landslides. With the model, either the mobilizations of a single phenomenon, or those of a homogeneous set of landslides in a given study area can be analysed. By properly tuning the model parameters against past occurrences, the mobility function and the threshold value can be identified. The ranges of the parameters depend on the characteristics of the slope and of the considered landslide, besides hydrological characteristics of the triggering events. SAKe requires as input: i) the series of rains, and ii) the set of known dates of landslide activation. The output of the model is represented by the mobilization function, Z(t): it is defined by means of the convolution between the rains and a filter function (i.e. the Kernel). The triggering conditions occur when the value of Z(t) gets greater than a given threshold, Zcr. In particular, the specific release of the model here employed (GA-SAKe) employs an automated tool, based on elitist Genetic Algorithms. As a result, a family of optimal, discretized kernels has been obtained from initial standard analytical functions. Such kernels maximize the fitness function of the model: they have been selected by means of a calibration technique based on the operators selection, crossover, and mutation. In this way, the values of model parameters could be iteratively changed, aiming at improving the fitness of the tested solutions. An example of model optimization is discussed, with reference to the Acri case study, to exemplify the potential application of SAKe for early-warning and civil-protection purposes.

Evolution of thermoelectric performance for (Bi,Sb){sub 2}Te{sub 3} alloys from cutting waste powders to bulks with high figure of merit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fan, Xi'an, E-mail: groupfxa@163.com; Key Laboratory for Ferrous Metallurgy and Resources Utilization of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081; School of Materials and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 947 Heping Road, Qingshan District, Wuhan 430081

Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} based cutting waste powders from cutting wafers were firstly selected as raw materials to prepare p-type Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} based thermoelectric (TE) materials. Through washing, reducing, composition correction, smelting and resistance pressing sintering (RPS) process, p-type (Bi,Sb){sub 2}Te{sub 3} alloy bulks with different nominal stoichiometries were successfully obtained. The evolution of microstructure and TE performance for (Bi,Sb){sub 2}Te{sub 3} alloys were investigated in detail. All evidences confirmed that most of contaminants from line cutting process such as cutting fluid and oxides of Bi, Sb or Te could be removed by washing, reducing and smelting process used inmore » this work. The carrier content and corresponding TE properties could be adjusted effectively by appropriate composition correction treatment. At lastly, a bulk with a nominal stoichiometry of Bi{sub 0.44}Sb{sub 1.56}Te{sub 3} was obtained and its' dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) was about 1.16 at 90 °C. The ZT values of Bi{sub 0.36}Sb{sub 1.64}Te{sub 3} and Bi{sub 0.4}Sb{sub 1.6}Te{sub 3} alloy bulks could also reach 0.98 and 1.08, respectively. Different from the conventional recycling technology such as hydrometallurgy extraction methods, the separation and extraction of beneficial elements such as Bi, Sb and Te did not need to be performed and the Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} based bulks with high TE properties could be directly obtained from the cutting waste powders. In addition, the recycling technology introduced here was green and more suitable for practical industrial application. It can improve material utilization and lower raw material costs of manufacturers. - Graphical abstract: Three kinds of typical morphologies for the fractographs: typical lamellar structure, agglomerated submicron-sized granules and dispersed cubic particles from the initial cutting waste powders. - Highlights: • Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} based wastes were directly selected as raw materials for TE alloys. • Contaminants from cutting fluid and oxides could be effectively removed. • Bulk Bi{sub 0.44}Sb{sub 1.56}Te{sub 3} with ZT of 1.16 was obtained from Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} based wastes. • Different from hydrometallurgy, the recycling method introduced here was green. • Directly recycling Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} wastes can lower raw material costs of manufacturers.« less

Thermoelectric Properties and Morphology of Si/SiC Thin-Film Multilayers Grown by Ion Beam Sputtering

DOE PAGES

Cramer, Corson; Farnell, Casey; Farnell, Cody; ...

2018-03-19

Multilayers (MLs) of 31 bi-layers and a 10-nm layer thickness each of Si/SiC were deposited on silicon, quartz and mullite substrates using a high-speed, ion-beam sputter deposition process. The samples deposited on the silicon substrates were used for imaging purposes and structural verification as they did not allow for accurate electrical measurement of the material. The Seebeck coefficient and the electrical resistivity on the mullite and the quartz substrates were reported as a function of temperature and used to compare the film performance. The thermal conductivity measurement was performed for ML samples grown on Si, and an average value ofmore » the thermal conductivity was used to find the figure of merit, zT, for all samples tested. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra showed an amorphous nature of the thin films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the film morphology and verify the nature of the crystallinity. The mobility of the multilayer films was measured to be only 0.039 to 1.0 cm 2/Vs at room temperature. The samples were tested three times in the temperature range of 300 K to 900 K to document the changes in the films with temperature cycling. The highest Seebeck coefficient is measured for a Si/SiC multilayer system on quartz and mullite substrates and were observed at 870 K to be roughly -2600 μV/K due to a strain-induced redistribution of the states’ effect. The highest figure of merit, zT, calculated for the multilayers in this study was 0.08 at 870 K.« less

Thermoelectric Properties and Morphology of Si/SiC Thin-Film Multilayers Grown by Ion Beam Sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cramer, Corson; Farnell, Casey; Farnell, Cody

Multilayers (MLs) of 31 bi-layers and a 10-nm layer thickness each of Si/SiC were deposited on silicon, quartz and mullite substrates using a high-speed, ion-beam sputter deposition process. The samples deposited on the silicon substrates were used for imaging purposes and structural verification as they did not allow for accurate electrical measurement of the material. The Seebeck coefficient and the electrical resistivity on the mullite and the quartz substrates were reported as a function of temperature and used to compare the film performance. The thermal conductivity measurement was performed for ML samples grown on Si, and an average value ofmore » the thermal conductivity was used to find the figure of merit, zT, for all samples tested. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra showed an amorphous nature of the thin films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the film morphology and verify the nature of the crystallinity. The mobility of the multilayer films was measured to be only 0.039 to 1.0 cm 2/Vs at room temperature. The samples were tested three times in the temperature range of 300 K to 900 K to document the changes in the films with temperature cycling. The highest Seebeck coefficient is measured for a Si/SiC multilayer system on quartz and mullite substrates and were observed at 870 K to be roughly -2600 μV/K due to a strain-induced redistribution of the states’ effect. The highest figure of merit, zT, calculated for the multilayers in this study was 0.08 at 870 K.« less

Crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of Sr-Mo substituted CaMnO3: a combined experimental and computational study.

PubMed

Srivastava, D; Azough, F; Freer, R; Combe, E; Funahashi, R; Kepaptsoglou, D M; Ramasse, Q M; Molinari, M; Yeandel, S R; Baran, J D; Parker, S C

2015-12-21

A combination of experimental and computational techniques has been employed to study doping effects in perovskite CaMnO 3 . High quality Sr-Mo co-substituted CaMnO 3 ceramics were prepared by the conventional mixed oxide route. Crystallographic data from X-ray and electron diffraction showed an orthorhombic to tetragonal symmetry change on increasing the Sr content, suggesting that Sr widens the transition temperature in CaMnO 3 preventing phase transformation-cracking on cooling after sintering, enabling the fabrication of high density ceramics. Atomically resolved imaging and analysis showed a random distribution of Sr in the A-site of the perovskite structure and revealed a boundary structure of 90° rotational twin boundaries across {101} orthorhombic ; the latter are predominant phonon scattering sources to lower the thermal conductivity as suggested by molecular dynamics calculations. The effect of doping on the thermoelectric properties was evaluated. Increasing Sr substitution reduces the Seebeck coefficient but the power factor remains high due to improved densification by Sr substitution. Mo doping generates additional charge carriers due to the presence of Mn 3+ in the Mn 4+ matrix, reducing electrical resistivity. The major impact of Sr on thermoelectric behaviour is the reduction of the thermal conductivity as shown experimentally and by modelling. Strontium containing ceramics showed thermoelectric figure of merit ( ZT ) values higher than 0.1 at temperatures above 850 K. Ca 0.7 Sr 0.3 Mn 0.96 Mo 0.04 O 3 ceramics exhibit enhanced properties with S 1000K = -180 μV K -1 , ρ 1000K = 5 × 10 -5 Ωm, k 1000K = 1.8 W m -1 K -1 and ZT ≈ 0.11 at 1000 K.

Enhancing Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit of Polycrystalline Na y CoO2 by a Combination of Non-stoichiometry and Co-substitution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallick, Md. Mofasser; Vitta, Satish

2018-06-01

Co-oxides with a layered structure are of interest for high-temperature thermoelectric applications as they can be tuned to enhance their electrical conductivity while retaining their low thermal conductivity. The figure-of-merit of Na y CoO2 has been enhanced using the combined effects of Na-non-stoichiometry and non-isoelectronic Co-substitution. A series of compounds Na0.7Co1- x Ni x O2 with x ≤ 0.1 have been synthesized using conventional techniques. Structural analysis using x-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement shows the formation of a γ-NaCoO2-type phase in all the compounds. The presence of a small amount of NiO for x > 0.05 indicates that the solubility limit of Ni in Na0.7CoO2 is 5 at.%. All the compounds have been found to be p-type with the thermopower reaching a maximum of 220 μV K-1 at 1023 K for x = 0.1. The thermopower has been found to vary linearly with temperature for all the compounds; a degenerate metallic behavior. The electrical resistivity varies between 3 and 10 mΩ cm at all temperatures and has a metallic temperature dependence in agreement with the thermopower results. The power factor for the x = 0.1 compound reaches a maximum value of 0.55 mW m-1 K-2 at ˜ 900 K compared to 0.45 mW m-1 K-2 for the compound with no substitution. The thermal conductivity at 1023 K decreases from 1.2 to 0.9 W m-1 K-1 for x = 0.1. These factors lead to an increase of the figure-of-merit, zT, to 0.58 at 1023 K for x = 0.1, an increase of 57% compared to the unsubstituted compound. The magnetic studies show that Na0.7CoO2 is paramagnetic with an antiferromagnetic transition at ˜ 36 K. Substitution of Ni2+ for Co3+ has been found to induce a ferromagnetic-like transition at ˜ 240 K which is suppressed at high fields.

Enhancing Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit of Polycrystalline Na y CoO2 by a Combination of Non-stoichiometry and Co-substitution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallick, Md. Mofasser; Vitta, Satish

2018-03-01

Co-oxides with a layered structure are of interest for high-temperature thermoelectric applications as they can be tuned to enhance their electrical conductivity while retaining their low thermal conductivity. The figure-of-merit of Na y CoO2 has been enhanced using the combined effects of Na-non-stoichiometry and non-isoelectronic Co-substitution. A series of compounds Na0.7Co1-x Ni x O2 with x ≤ 0.1 have been synthesized using conventional techniques. Structural analysis using x-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement shows the formation of a γ-NaCoO2-type phase in all the compounds. The presence of a small amount of NiO for x > 0.05 indicates that the solubility limit of Ni in Na0.7CoO2 is 5 at.%. All the compounds have been found to be p-type with the thermopower reaching a maximum of 220 μV K-1 at 1023 K for x = 0.1. The thermopower has been found to vary linearly with temperature for all the compounds; a degenerate metallic behavior. The electrical resistivity varies between 3 and 10 mΩ cm at all temperatures and has a metallic temperature dependence in agreement with the thermopower results. The power factor for the x = 0.1 compound reaches a maximum value of 0.55 mW m-1 K-2 at ˜ 900 K compared to 0.45 mW m-1 K-2 for the compound with no substitution. The thermal conductivity at 1023 K decreases from 1.2 to 0.9 W m-1 K-1 for x = 0.1. These factors lead to an increase of the figure-of-merit, zT, to 0.58 at 1023 K for x = 0.1, an increase of 57% compared to the unsubstituted compound. The magnetic studies show that Na0.7CoO2 is paramagnetic with an antiferromagnetic transition at ˜ 36 K. Substitution of Ni2+ for Co3+ has been found to induce a ferromagnetic-like transition at ˜ 240 K which is suppressed at high fields.

Size effect in thermoelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Jun; Liu, Zihang; Ren, Zhifeng

2016-12-01

Thermoelectric applications have attracted increasing interest recently due to its capability of converting waste heat into electricity without hazardous emissions. Materials with enhanced thermoelectric performance have been reported in recent two decades. The revival of research for thermoelectric materials began in early 1990s when the size effect is considered. Low-dimensional materials with exceptionally high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) have been presented, which broke the limit of ZT around unity. The idea of size effect in thermoelectric materials even inspired the later nanostructuring and band engineering strategies, which effectively enhanced the thermoelectric performance of bulk materials. In this overview, the size effect in low-dimensional thermoelectric materials is reviewed. We first discuss the quantum confinement effect on carriers, including the enhancement of electronic density of states, semimetal to semiconductor transition and carrier pocket engineering. Then, the effect of assumptions on theoretical calculations is presented. Finally, the effect of phonon confinement and interface scattering on lattice thermal conductivity is discussed.

Systems and methods for the synthesis of high thermoelectric performance doped-SnTe materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ren, Zhifeng; Zhang, Qian; Chen, Gang

A thermoelectric composition comprising tin (Sn), tellurium (Te) and at least one dopant that comprises a peak dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of 1.1 and a Seebeck coefficient of at least 50 .mu.V/K and a method of manufacturing the thermoelectric composition. A plurality of components are disposed in a ball-milling vessel, wherein the plurality of components comprise tin (Sn), tellurium (Te), and at least one dopant such as indium (In). The components are subsequently mechanically and thermally processed, for example, by hot-pressing. In response to the mechanical-thermally processing, a thermoelectric composition is formed, wherein the thermoelectric composition comprises a dimensionlessmore » figure of merit (ZT) of the thermoelectric composition is at least 0.8, and wherein a Seebeck coefficient of the thermoelectric composition is at least 50 .mu.V/K at any temperature.« less

Classification of Valleytronics in Thermoelectricity

PubMed Central

Norouzzadeh, Payam; Vashaee, Daryoosh

2016-01-01

The theory of valleytronics as a material design tool for engineering both thermal and electrical transport properties is presented. It is shown that the interplay among the valleytronics parameters such as the degeneracy of the band, intervalley transitions, effective mass, scattering exponent, and the Fermi energy may deteriorate or ameliorate any or all of the main thermoelectric properties. A flowchart classifying the different paths through which the valleytronics can influence the thermoelectric figure-of-merit ZT is derived and discussed in detail. To exemplify the application of the flowchart, valleytronics in four different semiconductors, Mg2Si, Si0.8Ge0.2, AlxGa1−xAs and clathrate Si46-VIII were studied, which showed different trends. Therefore, a degenerate multivalley bandstructure, which is typically anticipated for a good thermoelectric material, cannot be a general design rule for ZT enhancement and a detailed transport study is required to engineer the optimum bandstructure. PMID:26972331

ProbeZT: Simulation of transport coefficients of molecular electronic junctions under environmental effects using Büttiker's probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korol, Roman; Kilgour, Michael; Segal, Dvira

2018-03-01

We present our in-house quantum transport package, ProbeZT. This program provides linear response coefficients: electrical and electronic thermal conductances, as well as the thermopower of molecular junctions in which electrons interact with the surrounding thermal environment. Calculations are performed based on the Büttiker probe method, which introduces decoherence, energy exchange and dissipation effects phenomenologically using virtual electrode terminals called probes. The program can realize different types of probes, each introducing various environmental effects, including elastic and inelastic scattering of electrons. The molecular system is described by an arbitrary tight-binding Hamiltonian, allowing the study of different geometries beyond simple one-dimensional wires. Applications of the program to study the thermoelectric performance of molecular junctions are illustrated. The program also has a built-in functionality to simulate electron transport in double-stranded DNA molecules based on a tight-binding (ladder) description of the junction.

Environment-Friendly Post-Treatment of PEDOT-Tos Films by Aqueous Vitamin C Solutions for Tuning of Thermoelectric Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Ezaz Hasan; Thota, Sammaiah; Wang, Yiwen; Li, Lian; Wilusz, Eugene; Osgood, Richard; Kumar, Jayant

2018-04-01

Aqueous vitamin C solution has been used as an environment-friendly reducing agent for tuning the thermoelectric properties of p-toluenesulfonate-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT-Tos) films. The de-doping of the PEDOT-Tos films by aqueous vitamin C solutions led to a decrease in the electrical conductivity of the films. The measured ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared and x-ray photoelectron spectra clearly indicated the reduction in the oxidation level from 37 to 23% when the PEDOT-Tos films were treated with 5% (w/v) aqueous vitamin C solutions. An increase in the Seebeck coefficient was measured, resulting in an increase in the figure-of-merit (ZT). A 42% increase in ZT was determined for the 5% aqueous vitamin C solution-treated PEDOT-Tos films with respect to that of the untreated films.

Low temperature thermoelectric properties of Bi2-xSbxTeSe2 crystals near the n-p crossover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuccillo, M. K.; Charles, M. E.; Hor, Y. S.; Jia, Shuang; Cava, R. J.

2012-07-01

Seebeck coefficients, electrical resistivities, thermal conductivities and figure of merit ZT of Bi2-xSbxTeSe2 crystals (x=0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2) measured along the hexagonal basal plane are presented. The crystals gradually change from n- to p-type with increasing Sb content, with the crossover lying in the region between x=1.0 and 1.1. The crossover is accounted for by a simple (p-n) electron-hole compensation model, as supported by carrier concentrations determined from Hall measurements. ZT was found to be maximized near the crossover on the p-type side, with the high electrical resistance of the Se-rich crystals apparently the limiting factor in the performance. These materials may serve as a basis for future nanostructuring or doping studies.

Postnatal Ontogeny of the Circadian Expression of the Adrenal Clock Genes and Corticosterone Rhythm in Male Rats.

PubMed

Roa, Silvia Liliana Ruiz; Martinez, Edson Zangiacomi; Martins, Clarissa Silva; Antonini, Sonir Rauber; de Castro, Margaret; Moreira, Ayrton Custódio

2017-05-01

The postnatal synchronization of the circadian variation of the adrenal clock genes in mammals remains unknown. We evaluated the postnatal ontogeny of daily variation of clock genes (Clock/Bmal1/Per1/Per2/Per3/Cry1/Cry2/Rorα/Rev-Erbα) and steroidogenesis-related genes (Star and Mc2r) in rat adrenals and its relationship with the emergence of plasma corticosterone rhythm using cosinor analysis. Plasma corticosterone circadian rhythm was detected from postnatal day (P)1, with morning acrophase, between zeitgeber time (ZT)0 and ZT2. From P14, there was a nocturnal acrophase of corticosterone at ZT20, which was associated with pups' eye opening. From P3 there was a circadian variation of the mRNA expression of Bmal1, Per2, Per3, and Cry1 genes with morning acrophase, whereas Rev-Erbα had nocturnal acrophase. From P14, Bmal1, Per2, Per3, and Cry1 acrophases advanced by approximately 10 hours, as compared with early neonatal days, becoming vespertine-nocturnal. In all postnatal ages, Per2 and Cry1 circadian profiles were synchronized in phase with the circadian rhythm of plasma corticosterone, whereas Bmal1 was in antiphase. An adult-like Star circadian rhythm profile was observed only from P21. In conclusion, our original data demonstrated a progressive postnatal maturation of the circadian variation of the adrenal clock genes in synchrony with the development of the corticosterone circadian rhythm in rats. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society.

Processing and electrical properties of gallium-substituted lead zirconate titanate ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajra, Sugato; Sharma, Pulkit; Sahoo, Sushrisangita; Rout, P. K.; Choudhary, R. N. P.

2017-12-01

In the present paper, the effect of gallium (Ga) substitution on structural, microstructural, electrical conductivity of Pb(ZrTi)O3 (PZT) in the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region (i.e., Pb0.96Ga0.04(Zr0.48Ti0.52)0.99O3 (PGaZT-4)) was investigated. Increased grain density increases the resistivity of the Ga-modified PZT system. Preliminary structural analysis using X-ray diffraction pattern and data showed the existence of two phases [major tetragonal (T) and minor monoclinic (M)]. Field emission scanning electron micrograph (FESEM) showed the distribution of spherical as well as platelet type grains with small pores. The behavior of dielectric constant with temperature of PGaZT-4 exhibited the suppression of the ferroelectric phase transition [i.e., disappearance of Curie temperature ( T c)]. The complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) technique helped to investigate the impedance parameters of PGaZT-4 in MPB region in a wide range of temperature (250-500 °C) and frequency (1-1000 kHz) region. The impedance parameters of the material are found to be strongly dependent on frequency of AC electric field and temperature. The substitution of gallium at the Pb site of PZT generally enhances the dielectric constant and decreases loss tangent. The AC conductivity vs frequency ( f = ω2 π) in the region of dispersion follows the universal response of Jonscher's equation. Enhanced resistive characteristics were observed for Ga-substituted PZT in comparison to the pure PZT, which was well ensured from the studies of electrical parameters, such as impedance and AC conductivity.

Clock-driven vasopressin neurotransmission mediates anticipatory thirst prior to sleep.

PubMed

Gizowski, C; Zaelzer, C; Bourque, C W

2016-09-29

Circadian rhythms have evolved to anticipate and adapt animals to the constraints of the earth's 24-hour light cycle. Although the molecular processes that establish periodicity in clock neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are well understood, the mechanisms by which axonal projections from the central clock drive behavioural rhythms are unknown. Here we show that the sleep period in mice (Zeitgeber time, ZT0-12) is preceded by an increase in water intake promoted entirely by the central clock, and not motivated by physiological need. Mice denied this surge experienced significant dehydration near the end of the sleep period, indicating that this water intake contributes to the maintenance of overnight hydromineral balance. Furthermore, this effect relies specifically on the activity of SCN vasopressin (VP) neurons that project to thirst neurons in the OVLT (organum vasculosum lamina terminalis), where VP is released as a neurotransmitter. SCN VP neurons become electrically active during the anticipatory period (ZT21.5-23.5), and depolarize and excite OVLT neurons through the activation of postsynaptic VP V1a receptors and downstream non-selective cation channels. Optogenetic induction of VP release before the anticipatory period (basal period; ZT19.5-21.5) excited OVLT neurons and prompted a surge in water intake. Conversely, optogenetic inhibition of VP release during the anticipatory period inhibited the firing of OVLT neurons and prevented the corresponding increase in water intake. Our findings reveal the existence of anticipatory thirst, and demonstrate this behaviour to be driven by excitatory peptidergic neurotransmission mediated by VP release from central clock neurons.

Thermoelectric and transport properties of sintered n-type K{sub 8}Ba{sub 16}Ga{sub 40}Sn{sub 96} with type-II clathrate structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koda, Shota; Kishimoto, Kengo, E-mail: kkishi@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp; Asada, Hironori

This clathrate had a maximum dimensionless figure-of-merit, ZT, of 0.93 at 637 K, which was slightly higher than that of 0.83 for the sintered type-VIII clathrate Ba{sub 8}Ga{sub 16}Sn{sub 30}. We investigated the high-temperature thermoelectric properties, transport properties, electronic structures, and thermal stabilities of the clathrates. The type-II clathrate was found to be superior to the type-VIII clathrate as a thermoelectric material; it had a high thermal stability and melting point, 859 K, high mobility, 141 cm{sup 2}V{sup −1}s{sup −1} at 300 K, because of its low inertial mass, and low high-temperature lattice thermal conductivity, approximately 4 mW cm{sup −1}K{sup −1}, resulting frommore » a larger unit cell and weaker bipolar thermal conduction. We discuss these properties in terms of the electronic structure and the differences between the two types of clathrate.« less

Oligoyne Molecular Junctions for Efficient Room Temperature Thermoelectric Power Generation.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Hatef; Sangtarash, Sara; Lambert, Colin J

2015-11-11

Understanding phonon transport at a molecular scale is fundamental to the development of high-performance thermoelectric materials for the conversion of waste heat into electricity. We have studied phonon and electron transport in alkane and oligoyne chains of various lengths and find that, due to the more rigid nature of the latter, the phonon thermal conductances of oligoynes are counterintuitively lower than that of the corresponding alkanes. The thermal conductance of oligoynes decreases monotonically with increasing length, whereas the thermal conductance of alkanes initially increases with length and then decreases. This difference in behavior arises from phonon filtering by the gold electrodes and disappears when higher-Debye-frequency electrodes are used. Consequently a molecule that better transmits higher-frequency phonon modes, combined with a low-Debye-frequency electrode that filters high-energy phonons is a viable strategy for suppressing phonon transmission through the molecular junctions. The low thermal conductance of oligoynes, combined with their higher thermopower and higher electrical conductance lead to a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit of ZT = 1.4, which is several orders of magnitude higher than that of alkanes.

How much improvement in thermoelectric performance can come from reducing thermal conductivity?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaultois, Michael W., E-mail: mgaultois@mrl.ucsb.edu; Sparks, Taylor D., E-mail: sparks@eng.utah.edu

Large improvements in the performance of thermoelectric materials have come from designing materials with reduced thermal conductivity. Yet as the thermal conductivity of some materials now approaches their amorphous limit, it is unclear if microstructure engineering can further improve thermoelectric performance in these cases. In this contribution, we use large data sets to examine 300 compositions in 11 families of thermoelectric materials and present a type of plot that quickly reveals the maximum possible zT that can be achieved by reducing the thermal conductivity. This plot allows researchers to quickly distinguish materials where the thermal conductivity has been optimized frommore » those where improvement can be made. Moreover, through these large data sets we examine structure-property relationships to identify methods that decrease thermal conductivity and improve thermoelectric performance. We validate, with the data, that increasing (i) the volume of a unit cell and/or (ii) the number of atoms in the unit cell decreases the thermal conductivity of many classes of materials, without changing the electrical resistivity.« less

Electronic Structure, Optical and Transport Properties of Double Perovskite La2NbMnO6: A Theoretical Understanding from DFT Calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrey, Khursheed Ahmad; Khandy, Shakeel Ahmad; Islam, Ishtihadah; Laref, Amel; Gupta, Dinesh C.; Niazi, Asad; Aziz, Anver; Ansari, S. G.; Khenata, R.; Rubab, Seemin

2018-03-01

Double perovskite La2NbMnO6 was systematically studied using the first-principles calculations. The structural, electronic, optical and transport properties of this compound were calculated. Spin resolved band structure predicted this material as a half-metal with an energy gap of 3.75 eV in spin down state. The optical coefficients including optical conductivity, reflectivity and electron energy loss are calculated for photon energy up to 30.00 eV to understand the optical response of this perovskite. The strong absorption of all the ultraviolet and infrared frequencies of the spectrum by this material may suggest the potential application of this material for the optoelectronic devices in ultraviolet and infra-red region. Also, the thermoelectric properties with a speculation from the half-metallic electronic structure are reported. Subsequently, the Seebeck coefficient, electrical and thermal conductivity coefficients are calculated to predict the thermoelectric figure of merit (zT), the maximum of which is found out to be 0.14 at 800 K.

Thermoelectric properties and figure of merit of perovskite-type Ba1-xLaxSnO3 with x=0.002-0.008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasukawa, Masahiro; Kono, Toshio; Ueda, Kazushige; Yanagi, Hiroshi; Wng Kim, Sung; Hosono, Hideo

2013-10-01

Thermoelectric properties and figure of merit were evaluated from the Seebeck coefficient S, electrical conductivity σ, and thermal conductivity κ measured at high temperatures for perovskite-type ceramics of Ba1-xLaxSnO3 with x=0.002, 0.005, and 0.008, which were prepared by a polymerized complex method and a subsequent spark plasma sintering technique. All the polycrystalline dense ceramics showed n-type degenerate semiconducting behavior in the temperature range of 373-1073 K. The La content dependence of the S values revealed successful increase in the electron carriers with the La doping in this x range. The κ values remained almost unchanged with x showing ~9.6 Wm-1 K-1 at room temperature and decreased with increasing temperature. The electronic thermal conductivities calculated by the Wiedemann-Franz law as well as the T-1 dependence of the κ values indicate that the phonon thermal conductivity was dominant. The dimensionless figure of merit ZT increased with increasing temperature for all the ceramics and showed ~0.1 at 1073 K for the ceramics with x=0.002 and 0.005.

Solution-Processed Cu 2Se Nanocrystal Films with Bulk-Like Thermoelectric Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forster, Jason D.; Lynch, Jared J.; Coates, Nelson E.

Thermoelectric power generation can play a key role in a sustainable energy future by converting waste heat from power plants and other industrial processes into usable electrical power. Current thermoelectric devices, however, require energy intensive manufacturing processes such as alloying and spark plasma sintering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a p-type thermoelectric material, copper selenide (Cu 2 Se), utilizing solution-processing and thermal annealing to produce a thin film that achieves a figure of merit, ZT, which is as high as its traditionally processed counterpart, a value of 0.14 at room temperature. This is the first report of amore » fully solution-processed nanomaterial achieving performance equivalent to its bulk form and represents a general strategy to reduce the energy required to manufacture advanced energy conversion and harvesting materials.« less

Optimal thermoelectric figure of merit of a molecular junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Padraig; Mukerjee, Subroto; Moore, Joel

2008-10-01

We show that a molecular junction can give large values of the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT , and so it could be used as a solid-state energy-conversion device that operates close to the Carnot efficiency. The mechanism is similar to the Mahan-Sofo model for bulk thermoelectrics—the Lorenz number goes to zero violating the Wiedemann-Franz law while the thermopower remains nonzero. The molecular state through which charge is transported must be weakly coupled to the leads, and the energy level of the state must be of order kBT away from the Fermi energy of the leads. In practice, the figure of merit is limited by the phonon thermal conductance; we show that the largest possible Z Ttilde ( Gtilde thph)-1/2 , where Gtilde thph is the phonon thermal conductance divided by the thermal conductance quantum.

Solution-Processed Cu 2Se Nanocrystal Films with Bulk-Like Thermoelectric Performance

DOE PAGES

Forster, Jason D.; Lynch, Jared J.; Coates, Nelson E.; ...

2017-06-05

Thermoelectric power generation can play a key role in a sustainable energy future by converting waste heat from power plants and other industrial processes into usable electrical power. Current thermoelectric devices, however, require energy intensive manufacturing processes such as alloying and spark plasma sintering. Here, we describe the fabrication of a p-type thermoelectric material, copper selenide (Cu 2 Se), utilizing solution-processing and thermal annealing to produce a thin film that achieves a figure of merit, ZT, which is as high as its traditionally processed counterpart, a value of 0.14 at room temperature. This is the first report of amore » fully solution-processed nanomaterial achieving performance equivalent to its bulk form and represents a general strategy to reduce the energy required to manufacture advanced energy conversion and harvesting materials.« less

Large anisotropic thermoelectricity in perovskite related layered structure: SrnNbnO3n+2 (n = 4,5)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Akihiro; Takahashi, Kouhei; Kanno, Tsutomu; Adachi, Hideaki

2011-05-01

We have systematically synthesized a series of perovskite related layered structures, Strontium-Niobates expressed as SrnNbnO3n+2 (n = 4 ~ 5) and focused on the thermoelectricity in n = 4 and 5 type materials here. To explore their thermoelectricities and anisotropic properties, we have measured the thermal and charge transport properties along all crystallographic axes. The values of thermoelectric parameters were strongly anisotropic and there exists a large anisotropy even in in-plane direction of the layered structure. As a result, the best performance of thermoelectricity is commonly observed in the a-axis. The respective ZT for Sr1.8La0.2Nb2O7 and Sr5Nb5O17 at room temperature is 3.5×10-2 and 3.6×10-3.

Transport, Structural and Mechanical Properties of Quaternary FeVTiAl Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhat, Tahir Mohiuddin; Gupta, Dinesh C.

2016-11-01

The electronic, structural, magnetic and transport properties of FeVTiAl quaternary alloy have been investigated within the framework of density functional theory. The material is a completely spin-polarized half-metallic ferromagnet in its ground state with F-43m structure. The structural stability was further confirmed by elastic constants in the cubic phase with high Young's modulus and brittle nature. The present study predicts an energy band gap of 0.72 eV in a localized minority spin channel at equilibrium lattice parameter of 6.00 Å. The transport properties of the material are discussed based on the Seebeck coefficient, and electrical and thermal conductivity coefficients. The alloy presents large values of Seebeck coefficients, ~39 μV K-1 at room temperature (300 K), and has an excellent thermoelectric performance with ZT = ~0.8.

Thermoelectric properties of cobalt antimonide>-based skutterudites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jian

Solid state cooling and power generation based on thermoelectric principles are regarded as one of the technologies with the potential of solving the current energy crisis. Thermoelectric devices could be widely used in waste heat recovery, small scale power generation and refrigeration. It has no moving parts and is environmental friendly. The limitation to its application is due to its low efficiency. Most of the current commercialized thermoelectric materials have figure of merit (ZT) around 1. To be comparable with kitchen refrigerator, ZT≃ 3 is required at room temperature. Skutterudites have emerged as member of the novel materials, which potentially have a higher ZT. In the dissertation, my investigation will be focused on the optimization of CoSb3-based skutterudites. Starting with Co and Sb elements, CoSb3 will form through a high energy ball mill. Unfortunately, even after 20 hours, only a small percentage of the powders have transformed in into CoSb3. Then the powders will be compacted into bulk samples by DC-controlled hot press. CoSb3 single phase will form after press. Characterization of the structure and thermoelectric properties will be presented with details. The effects of synthesis conditions on thermoelectric properties of skutterudites were studied and discussed. Several possible methods of improving the ZT of N type skutterudites were applied. The highest obtained ZT thus far is ˜1.2 from Yb doped CoSb3. For a group of samples with nominal composition YbxCo4Sb12, the increased Yb concentration in our samples not only enhanced the power factor due to electron doping effect but also decreased the thermal conductivity due to a stronger rattling effect. In addition, the increased grain boundary density per unit volume due to the small grains in our bulk skutterudite materials may have also helped to enhance the phonon scattering and thus to reduce the thermal conductivity. Single and double doping methods with different combinations were also tried. So far, none of them have surpassed ZT=1.2. Mixing different materials with Yb 0.35Co4Sb12 so far to increase the phonon scattering was also performed. No dramatic thermal conductivity reduction was observed. Small amounts of Fe/Mn substitution on Co sites will decrease the power factor to undesired degrees. Some results with Nd filled P type sample will be briefly introduced. P type samples are also obtained through substitution on Sb site. Preliminary work on preparing the electrode for CoSb3 will be presented in the dissertation. CoSi2 has low resistivity, and a similar coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) as of doped CoSb3. It is good electrode candidate. DC-controlled hot press is used to make the contact. Thermal stability of the contact was tested. Small cracks will form in the contact area, further improvement is necessary. Finally, my previous work on ZnO nanowire growth is briefly introduced. Large throughput of ZnO nanowire could be obtained with NaCl as the support to promote the conversion of Zn powder to ZnO.

Obesity and chronic stress are able to desynchronize the temporal pattern of serum levels of leptin and triglycerides.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Carla; Scarabelot, Vanessa Leal; de Souza, Andressa; de Oliveira, Cleverson Moraes; Medeiros, Liciane Fernandes; de Macedo, Isabel Cristina; Marques Filho, Paulo Ricardo; Cioato, Stefania Giotti; Caumo, Wolnei; Torres, Iraci L S

2014-01-01

Disruption of the circadian system can lead to metabolic dysfunction as a response to environmental alterations. This study assessed the effects of the association between obesity and chronic stress on the temporal pattern of serum levels of adipogenic markers and corticosterone in rats. We evaluated weekly weight, delta weight, Lee index, and weight fractions of adipose tissue (mesenteric, MAT; subcutaneous, SAT; and pericardial, PAT) to control for hypercaloric diet-induced obesity model efficacy. Wistar rats were divided into four groups: standard chow (C), hypercaloric diet (HD), stress plus standard chow (S), and stress plus hypercaloric diet (SHD), and analyzed at three time points: ZT0, ZT12, and ZT18. Stressed animals were subjected to chronic stress for 1h per day, 5 days per week, during 80 days. The chronic exposure to a hypercaloric diet was an effective model for the induction of obesity and metabolic syndrome, increasing delta weight, Lee index, weight fractions of adipose tissue, and triglycerides and leptin levels. We confirmed the presence of a temporal pattern in the release of triglycerides, corticosterone, leptin, and adiponectin in naïve animals. Chronic stress reduced delta weight, MAT weight, and levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and leptin. There were interactions between chronic stress and obesity and serum total cholesterol levels, between time points and obesity and adiponectin and corticosterone levels, and between time points and chronic stress and serum leptin levels. In conclusion, both parameters were able to desynchronize the temporal pattern of leptin and triglyceride release, which could contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and metabolic syndrome. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Light exposure induces short- and long-term changes in the excitability of retinorecipient neurons in suprachiasmatic nucleus

PubMed Central

LeSauter, Joseph; Cloues, Robin; Witkovsky, Paul

2011-01-01

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the locus of a hypothalamic circadian clock that synchronizes physiological and behavioral responses to the daily light-dark cycle. The nucleus is composed of functionally and peptidergically diverse populations of cells for which distinct electrochemical properties are largely unstudied. SCN neurons containing gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receive direct retinal input via the retinohypothalamic tract. We targeted GRP neurons with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker for whole cell patch-clamping. In these neurons, we studied short (0.5–1.5 h)- and long-term (2–6 h) effects of a 1-h light pulse (LP) given 2 h after lights off [Zeitgeber time (ZT) 14:00–15:00] on membrane potential and spike firing. In brain slices taken from light-exposed animals, cells were depolarized, and spike firing rate increased between ZT 15:30 and 16:30. During a subsequent 4-h period beginning around ZT 17:00, GRP neurons from light-exposed animals were hyperpolarized by ∼15 mV. None of these effects was observed in GRP neurons from animals not exposed to light or in immediately adjacent non-GRP neurons whether or not exposed to light. Depolarization of GRP neurons was associated with a reduction in GABAA-dependent synaptic noise, whereas hyperpolarization was accompanied both by a loss of GABAA drive and suppression of a TTX-resistant leakage current carried primarily by Na. This suggests that, in the SCN, exposure to light may induce a short-term increase in GRP neuron excitability mediated by retinal neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, followed by long-term membrane hyperpolarization resulting from suppression of a leakage current, possibly resulting from genomic signals. PMID:21593396

Polycrystalline ZrTe 5 Parametrized as a Narrow-Band-Gap Semiconductor for Thermoelectric Performance

DOE PAGES

Miller, Samuel A.; Witting, Ian; Aydemir, Umut; ...

2018-01-24

The transition-metal pentatellurides HfTe 5 and ZrTe 5 have been studied for their exotic transport properties with much debate over the transport mechanism, band gap, and cause of the resistivity behavior, including a large low-temperature resistivity peak. Single crystals grown by the chemical-vapor-transport method have shown an n-p transition of the Seebeck coefficient at the same temperature as a peak in the resistivity. We show that behavior similar to that of single crystals can be observed in iodine-doped polycrystalline samples but that undoped polycrystalline samples exhibit drastically different properties: they are p type over the entire temperature range. Additionally, themore » thermal conductivity for polycrystalline samples is much lower, 1.5 Wm -1 K -1, than previously reported for single crystals. It is found that the polycrystalline ZrTe 5 system can be modeled as a simple semiconductor with conduction and valence bands both contributing to transport, separated by a band gap of 20 meV. This model demonstrates to first order that a simple two-band model can explain the transition from n- to p-type behavior and the cause of the anomalous resistivity peak. Combined with the experimental data, the two-band model shows that carrier concentration variation is responsible for differences in behavior between samples. Using the two-band model, the thermoelectric performance at different doping levels is predicted, finding zT=0.2 and 0.1 for p and n type, respectively, at 300 K, and zT=0.23 and 0.32 for p and n type at 600 K. Given the reasonably high zT that is comparable in magnitude for both n and p type, a thermoelectric device with a single compound used for both legs is feasible.« less

Polycrystalline ZrTe{sub 5} Parameterized as a Narrow Band Gap Semiconductor for Thermoelectric Performance.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Samuel A.; Witting, Ian; Aydemir, Umut

The transition-metal pentatellurides HfTe5 and ZrTe5 have been studied for their exotic transport properties with much debate over the transport mechanism, band gap, and cause of the resistivity behavior, including a large low-temperature resistivity peak. Single crystals grown by the chemical-vapor-transport method have shown an n-p transition of the Seebeck coefficient at the same temperature as a peak in the resistivity. We show that behavior similar to that of single crystals can be observed in iodine-doped polycrystalline samples but that undoped polycrystalline samples exhibit drastically different properties: they are p type over the entire temperature range. Additionally, the thermal conductivitymore » for polycrystalline samples is much lower, 1.5 Wm -1 K -1, than previously reported for single crystals. It is found that the polycrystalline ZrTe 5 system can be modeled as a simple semiconductor with conduction and valence bands both contributing to transport, separated by a band gap of 20 meV. This model demonstrates to first order that a simple two-band model can explain the transition from n- to p-type behavior and the cause of the anomalous resistivity peak. Combined with the experimental data, the two-band model shows that carrier concentration variation is responsible for differences in behavior between samples. Using the twoband model, the thermoelectric performance at different doping levels is predicted, finding zT =0.2 and 0.1 for p and n type, respectively, at 300 K, and zT= 0.23 and 0.32 for p and n type at 600 K. Given the reasonably high zT that is comparable in magnitude for both n and p type, a thermoelectric device with a single compound used for both legs is feasible.« less

Polycrystalline ZrTe 5 Parametrized as a Narrow-Band-Gap Semiconductor for Thermoelectric Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, Samuel A.; Witting, Ian; Aydemir, Umut

The transition-metal pentatellurides HfTe 5 and ZrTe 5 have been studied for their exotic transport properties with much debate over the transport mechanism, band gap, and cause of the resistivity behavior, including a large low-temperature resistivity peak. Single crystals grown by the chemical-vapor-transport method have shown an n-p transition of the Seebeck coefficient at the same temperature as a peak in the resistivity. We show that behavior similar to that of single crystals can be observed in iodine-doped polycrystalline samples but that undoped polycrystalline samples exhibit drastically different properties: they are p type over the entire temperature range. Additionally, themore » thermal conductivity for polycrystalline samples is much lower, 1.5 Wm -1 K -1, than previously reported for single crystals. It is found that the polycrystalline ZrTe 5 system can be modeled as a simple semiconductor with conduction and valence bands both contributing to transport, separated by a band gap of 20 meV. This model demonstrates to first order that a simple two-band model can explain the transition from n- to p-type behavior and the cause of the anomalous resistivity peak. Combined with the experimental data, the two-band model shows that carrier concentration variation is responsible for differences in behavior between samples. Using the two-band model, the thermoelectric performance at different doping levels is predicted, finding zT=0.2 and 0.1 for p and n type, respectively, at 300 K, and zT=0.23 and 0.32 for p and n type at 600 K. Given the reasonably high zT that is comparable in magnitude for both n and p type, a thermoelectric device with a single compound used for both legs is feasible.« less

High-Performance Three-Stage Cascade Thermoelectric Devices with 20% Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, B. A.; Chan, T. E.; Dezsi, G.; Thomas, P.; Koch, C. C.; Poon, J.; Tritt, T.; Venkatasubramanian, R.

2015-06-01

The use of advanced materials has resulted in a significant improvement in thermoelectric device conversion efficiency. Three-stage cascade devices were assembled, consisting of nano-bulk Bi2Te3-based materials on the cold side, PbTe and enhanced TAGS-85 [(AgSbTe2)15(GeTe)85] for the mid-stage, and half-Heusler alloys for the high-temperature top stage. In addition, an area aspect ratio optimization process was applied in order to account for asymmetric thermal transport down the individual n- and p-legs. The n- and p-type chalcogenide alloy materials were prepared by high-energy mechanical ball-milling and/or cryogenic ball-milling of elementary powders, with subsequent consolidation by high-pressure uniaxial hot-pressing. The low-temperature stage materials, nano-bulk Bi2Te3- x Sb x and Bi2Te3- x Se x , exhibit a unique mixture of nanoscale features that leads to an enhanced Seebeck coefficient and reduced lattice thermal conductivity, thereby achieving an average ZT of ~1.26 and ~1.7 in the 27°C to 100°C range for the n-type and p-type materials, respectively. Also, the addition of small amounts of selected rare earth elements has been shown to improve the ZT of TAGS-85 by 25%, compared with conventional or neat TAGS-85, resulting in a ZT = 1.5 at 400°C. The incorporation of these improved materials resulted in a peak device conversion efficiency of ~20% at a temperature difference of 750°C when corrected for radiation heat losses and thermal conduction losses through the lead wires. These high-efficiency results were shown to be reproducible across multiple cascade devices.

Timed food availability affects circadian behavior but not the neuropeptide Y expression in Indian weaverbirds exposed to atypical light environment.

PubMed

Singh, Devraj; Trivedi, Neerja; Malik, Shalie; Rani, Sangeeta; Kumar, Vinod

2016-07-01

We tested the hypothesis whether daily food availability period would restore rhythmicity in individuals with disrupted circadian behavior with no effect on appetite regulation. Particularly, we investigated the effects of timed food availability on activity behavior, and Fos and neuropeptide Y expressions in Indian weaverbirds (Ploceus philippinus) under atypical light conditions. Initially, weaverbirds in 3 groups of 7-8 each were entrained to 7L:17D (25: <0.3lx) with food ad libitum. Thereafter, food availability was restricted for 7h such that it overlapped with the light period. After a week, 7L:17D was replaced with 3.5L: 3.5D (T7, group 1), 3.5L: 20.5D (T24, group 2) or constant dim light, LLdim (<0.3lx, group 3) for 5weeks. Food cycles synchronized the circadian activity behavior, albeit with group differences, but did not affect body mass, blood glucose levels or testis size. Further, Fos, not NPY mRNA or peptide, expression measured at ZT2 and ZT14 (ZT0=time of food given) showed significant group differences in the hippocampus, dorsomedial hypothalamus and infundibular nuclear complex. Another identical experiment examined after-effects of the 3 light conditions on persistence of the circadian rhythms. Weaverbirds exposed for 4weeks to identical food but different light conditions, as above, were released into the free-running condition of food ad libitum and LLdim. Circadian rhythms were decayed in birds previously exposed to T7 LD cycle. Overall, these results show that timed meal restores rhythmicity in individuals with circadian rhythm disruptions without involving neuropeptide Y, the key appetite regulatory molecule. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Burkholderia thailandensis oacA mutants facilitate the expression of Burkholderia mallei-like O polysaccharides.

PubMed

Brett, Paul J; Burtnick, Mary N; Heiss, Christian; Azadi, Parastoo; DeShazer, David; Woods, Donald E; Gherardini, Frank C

2011-02-01

Previous studies have shown that the O polysaccharides (OPS) expressed by Burkholderia mallei are similar to those produced by Burkholderia thailandensis except that they lack the 4-O-acetyl modifications on their 6-deoxy-α-l-talopyranosyl residues. In the present study, we describe the identification and characterization of an open reading frame, designated oacA, expressed by B. thailandensis that accounts for this phenomenon. Utilizing the B. thailandensis and B. mallei lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-specific monoclonal antibodies Pp-PS-W and 3D11, Western immunoblot analyses demonstrated that the LPS antigens expressed by the oacA mutant, B. thailandensis ZT0715, were antigenically similar to those produced by B. mallei ATCC 23344. In addition, immunoblot analyses demonstrated that when B. mallei ATCC 23344 was complemented in trans with oacA, it synthesized B. thailandensis-like LPS antigens. To elucidate the structure of the OPS moieties expressed by ZT0715, purified samples were analyzed via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. As predicted, these studies demonstrated that the loss of OacA activity influenced the O acetylation phenotype of the OPS moieties. Unexpectedly, however, the results indicated that the O methylation status of the OPS antigens was also affected by the loss of OacA activity. Nonetheless, it was revealed that the LPS moieties expressed by the oacA mutant reacted strongly with the B. mallei LPS-specific protective monoclonal antibody 9C1-2. Based on these findings, it appears that OacA is required for the 4-O acetylation and 2-O methylation of B. thailandensis OPS antigens and that ZT0715 may provide a safe and cost-effective source of B. mallei-like OPS to facilitate the synthesis of glanders subunit vaccine candidates.

Influence of convection at outer ceramic surfaces on the characterization of thermoelectric modules by impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beltrán-Pitarch, Braulio; García-Cañadas, Jorge

2018-02-01

Impedance spectroscopy is a useful method for the characterization of thermoelectric (TE) modules. It can determine with high accuracy the module's dimensionless figure of merit (zT) as well as the average TE properties of the module's thermoelements. Interpretation of impedance results requires the use of a theoretical model (equivalent circuit), which provides the desired device parameters after a fitting is performed to the experimental results. Here, we extend the currently available equivalent circuit, only valid for adiabatic conditions, to account for the effect of convection at the outer surface of the module ceramic plates, which is the part of the device where convection is more prominent. This is performed by solving the heat equation in the frequency domain including convection heat losses. As a result, a new element (convection resistance) appears in the developed equivalent circuit, which starts to influence at mid-low frequencies, causing a decrease of the typically observed semicircle in the impedance spectrum. If this effect is not taken into account, an underestimation of the zT occurs when measurements are performed under room conditions. The theoretical model is validated by experimental measurements performed in a commercial module with and without vacuum. Interestingly, the use of the new equivalent circuit allows the determination of the convection heat transfer coefficient (h), if the module's Seebeck coefficient is known, and an impedance measurement in vacuum is performed, opening up the possibility to develop TE modules as h sensors. On the other hand, if h is known, all the properties of the module (zT, ohmic (internal) resistance, average Seebeck coefficient and average thermal conductivity of the thermoelements and thermal conductivity of the ceramics) can be obtained from one impedance measurement in vacuum and another measurement under room conditions.

Estimating Seebeck Coefficient of a p-Type High Temperature Thermoelectric Material Using Bee Algorithm Multi-layer Perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uysal, Fatih; Kilinc, Enes; Kurt, Huseyin; Celik, Erdal; Dugenci, Muharrem; Sagiroglu, Selami

2017-08-01

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) convert heat into electrical energy. These energy-conversion systems do not involve any moving parts and are made of thermoelectric (TE) elements connected electrically in a series and thermally in parallel; however, they are currently not suitable for use in regular operations due to their low efficiency levels. In order to produce high-efficiency TEGs, there is a need for highly heat-resistant thermoelectric materials (TEMs) with an improved figure of merit ( ZT). Production and test methods used for TEMs today are highly expensive. This study attempts to estimate the Seebeck coefficient of TEMs by using the values of existing materials in the literature. The estimation is made within an artificial neural network (ANN) based on the amount of doping and production methods. Results of the estimations show that the Seebeck coefficient can approximate the real values with an average accuracy of 94.4%. In addition, ANN has detected that any change in production methods is followed by a change in the Seebeck coefficient.

Impact of parasitic thermal effects on thermoelectric property measurements by Harman method.

PubMed

Kwon, Beomjin; Baek, Seung-Hyub; Kim, Seong Keun; Kim, Jin-Sang

2014-04-01

Harman method is a rapid and simple technique to measure thermoelectric properties. However, its validity has been often questioned due to the over-simplified assumptions that this method relies on. Here, we quantitatively investigate the influence of the previously ignored parasitic thermal effects on the Harman method and develop a method to determine an intrinsic ZT. We expand the original Harman relation with three extra terms: heat losses via both the lead wires and radiation, and Joule heating within the sample. Based on the expanded Harman relation, we use differential measurement of the sample geometry to measure the intrinsic ZT. To separately evaluate the parasitic terms, the measured ZTs with systematically varied sample geometries and the lead wire types are fitted to the expanded relation. A huge discrepancy (∼28%) of the measured ZTs depending on the measurement configuration is observed. We are able to separately evaluate those parasitic terms. This work will help to evaluate the intrinsic thermoelectric property with Harman method by eliminating ambiguities coming from extrinsic effects.

Enhancing thermoelectric properties of organic composites through hierarchical nanostructures

PubMed Central

Zhang, Kun; Zhang, Yue; Wang, Shiren

2013-01-01

Organic thermoelectric (TE) materials are very attractive due to easy processing, material abundance, and environmentally-benign characteristics, but their potential is significantly restricted by the inferior thermoelectric properties. In this work, noncovalently functionalized graphene with fullerene by π-π stacking in a liquid-liquid interface was integrated into poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate). Graphene helps to improve electrical conductivity while fullerene enhances the Seebeck coefficient and hinders thermal conductivity, resulting in the synergistic effect on enhancing thermoelectric properties. With the integration of nanohybrids, the electrical conductivity increased from ~10000 to ~70000 S/m, the thermal conductivity changed from 0.2 to 2 W·K−1m−1 while the Seebeck coefficient was enhanced by around 4-fold. As a result, nanohybrids-based polymer composites demonstrated the figure of merit (ZT) as high as 6.7 × 10−2, indicating an enhancement of more than one order of magnitude in comparison to single-phase filler-based polymer composites with ZT at the level of 10−3. PMID:24336319

High Temperature Electronic and Thermal Transport Properties of EuGa2- x In x Sb2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanakian, Sevan; Weber, Rochelle; Aydemir, Umut; Ormeci, Alim; Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Bux, Sabah; Snyder, G. Jeffrey

2017-08-01

The Zintl phase EuGa2Sb2 was synthesized via ball milling followed by hot pressing. The crystal structure of EuGa2Sb2 is comprised of a 3-D network of polyanionic [Ga2Sb2]2- tunnels filled with Eu cations that provide charge balance (Eu2+[Ga2Sb2]2-). Here we report the temperature-dependent resistivity, Hall Effect, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity for EuGa2- x In x Sb2 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.1) from 300 K to 775 K. Experimental results demonstrate that the material is a p-type semiconductor. However, a small band gap (˜0.1 eV) prevents EuGa2Sb2 from having high zT at higher temperatures. Isoelectronic substitution of In on the Ga site leads to point defect scattering of holes and phonons, thus reducing thermal conductivity and resulting in a slight improvement in zT.

Extraordinary Off-Stoichiometric Bismuth Telluride for Enhanced n-Type Thermoelectric Power Factor.

PubMed

Park, Kunsu; Ahn, Kyunghan; Cha, Joonil; Lee, Sanghwa; Chae, Sue In; Cho, Sung-Pyo; Ryee, Siheon; Im, Jino; Lee, Jaeki; Park, Su-Dong; Han, Myung Joon; Chung, In; Hyeon, Taeghwan

2016-11-02

Thermoelectrics directly converts waste heat into electricity and is considered a promising means of sustainable energy generation. While most of the recent advances in the enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) resulted from a decrease in lattice thermal conductivity by nanostructuring, there have been very few attempts to enhance electrical transport properties, i.e., the power factor. Here we use nanochemistry to stabilize bulk bismuth telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 ) that violates phase equilibrium, namely, phase-pure n-type K 0.06 Bi 2 Te 3.18 . Incorporated potassium and tellurium in Bi 2 Te 3 far exceed their solubility limit, inducing simultaneous increase in the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient along with decrease in the thermal conductivity. Consequently, a high power factor of ∼43 μW cm -1 K -2 and a high ZT > 1.1 at 323 K are achieved. Our current synthetic method can be used to produce a new family of materials with novel physical and chemical characteristics for various applications.

First-principles study of a MXene terahertz detector.

PubMed

Jhon, Y I; Seo, M; Jhon, Y M

2017-12-21

2D transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides called MXenes have attracted increasing attention due to their outstanding properties in many fields. By performing systematic density functional theory calculations, here we show that MXenes can serve as excellent terahertz detecting materials. Giant optical absorption and extinction coefficients are observed in the terahertz range in the most popular MXene, namely, Ti 3 C 2 , which is regardless of the stacking degree. Various other optical properties have been investigated as well in the terahertz range for in-depth understanding of its optical response. We find that the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of stacked Ti 3 C 2 flakes is comparable to that of carbon nanotube films. Based on excellent terahertz absorption and decent thermoelectric efficiency in MXenes, we finally suggest the promise of MXenes in terahertz detection applications, which includes terahertz bolometers and photothermoelectric detectors. Possible ZT improvements are discussed in large-scale MXene flake films and/or MXene-polymer composite films.

Amine-functionalized mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite adsorbents for carbon dioxide capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yisong; Du, Tao; Song, Yanli; Che, Shuai; Fang, Xin; Zhou, Lifeng

2017-11-01

ZSM-5 type zeolite with mesoporous structure was prepared and then amine-functionalized with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) by wet impregnation method to form a series of CO2 adsorbents (ZTx). The structural properties of ZSM-5 and ZTx were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA/DTG, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, SEM and EDX techniques. The adsorption capacity of the adsorbents with different amine loading was measured at a temperature from 40 to 100 °C and the adsorption capacity of ZT7 was 1.80 mmol/g at 100 °C. The adsorption process and mechanism were studied by fitting the experimental data used the three adsorption kinetic models, and a complex physical and chemical mixing process was produced as the amine entered the surface and pore size of the zeolite. The high adsorption selectivity at 10% CO2 concentration and the stability of the five adsorption desorption cycles indicated that ZT7 is a suitable and promising CO2 adsorbent for the purification of industrial flue gas.

Effects of High-Pressure High-Temperature Sintering on the Band Gap and Thermoelectric Properties of PbSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bo; Li, Yi; Sun, Zhen-Ya

2018-06-01

In this study, PbSe bulk samples were prepared by a high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) sintering technique, and the phase compositions, band gaps and thermoelectric properties of the samples were systematically investigated. The sintering pressure exerts a significant influence on the preferential orientation, band gap and thermoelectric properties of PbSe. With increasing pressure, the preferential orientation decreases, mainly due to the decreased crystallinity, while the band gap first decreases and then increases. The electrical conductivity and power factor decrease gradually with increasing pressure, mainly attributed to the decreased carrier concentration and mobility. Consequently, the sample prepared by 2 GPa shows the highest thermoelectric figure-of-merit, ZT, of 0.55 at ˜ 475 K. The ZT of the HPHT-sintered PbSe could be further improved by properly doping or optimizing the HPHT parameters. This study further demonstrates that the sintering pressure could be another degree of freedom to manipulate the band structure and thermoelectric properties of materials.

High thermoelectric performance of graphite nanofibers.

PubMed

Tran, Van-Truong; Saint-Martin, Jérôme; Dollfus, Philippe; Volz, Sebastian

2018-02-22

Graphite nanofibers (GNFs) have been demonstrated to be a promising material for hydrogen storage and heat management in electronic devices. Here, by means of first-principles and transport simulations, we show that GNFs can also be an excellent material for thermoelectric applications thanks to the interlayer weak van der Waals interaction that induces low thermal conductance and a step-like shape in the electronic transmission with mini-gaps, which are necessary ingredients to achieve high thermoelectric performance. This study unveils that the platelet form of GNFs in which graphite layers are perpendicular to the fiber axis can exhibit outstanding thermoelectric properties with a figure of merit ZT reaching 3.55 in a 0.5 nm diameter fiber and 1.1 in a 1.1 nm diameter one. Interestingly, by introducing 14 C isotope doping, ZT can even be enhanced up to more than 5, and more than 8 if we include the effect of finite phonon mean free path, which demonstrates the amazing thermoelectric potential of GNFs.

Realizing high figure of merit in heavy-band p-type half-Heusler thermoelectric materials

PubMed Central

Fu, Chenguang; Bai, Shengqiang; Liu, Yintu; Tang, Yunshan; Chen, Lidong; Zhao, Xinbing; Zhu, Tiejun

2015-01-01

Solid-state thermoelectric technology offers a promising solution for converting waste heat to useful electrical power. Both high operating temperature and high figure of merit zT are desirable for high-efficiency thermoelectric power generation. Here we report a high zT of ∼1.5 at 1,200 K for the p-type FeNbSb heavy-band half-Heusler alloys. High content of heavier Hf dopant simultaneously optimizes the electrical power factor and suppresses thermal conductivity. Both the enhanced point-defect and electron–phonon scatterings contribute to a significant reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. An eight couple prototype thermoelectric module exhibits a high conversion efficiency of 6.2% and a high power density of 2.2 W cm−2 at a temperature difference of 655 K. These findings highlight the optimization strategy for heavy-band thermoelectric materials and demonstrate a realistic prospect of high-temperature thermoelectric modules based on half-Heusler alloys with low cost, excellent mechanical robustness and stability. PMID:26330371

Control of p-type and n-type thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride thin films by combinatorial sputter coating technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, Masahiro; Sasaki, Michiko; Xu, Yibin; Zhan, Tianzhuo; Isoda, Yukihiro; Shinohara, Yoshikazu

2017-06-01

p- and n-type bismuth telluride thin films have been synthesized by using a combinatorial sputter coating system (COSCOS). The crystal structure and crystal preferred orientation of the thin films were changed by controlling the coating condition of the radio frequency (RF) power during the sputter coating. As a result, the p- and n-type films and their dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) were optimized by the technique. The properties of the thin films such as the crystal structure, crystal preferred orientation, material composition and surface morphology were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Also, the thermoelectric properties of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity were measured. ZT for n- and p-type bismuth telluride thin films was found to be 0.27 and 0.40 at RF powers of 90 and 120 W, respectively. The proposed technology can be used to fabricate thermoelectric p-n modules of bismuth telluride without any doping process.

Realizing high figure of merit in heavy-band p-type half-Heusler thermoelectric materials.

PubMed

Fu, Chenguang; Bai, Shengqiang; Liu, Yintu; Tang, Yunshan; Chen, Lidong; Zhao, Xinbing; Zhu, Tiejun

2015-09-02

Solid-state thermoelectric technology offers a promising solution for converting waste heat to useful electrical power. Both high operating temperature and high figure of merit zT are desirable for high-efficiency thermoelectric power generation. Here we report a high zT of ∼1.5 at 1,200 K for the p-type FeNbSb heavy-band half-Heusler alloys. High content of heavier Hf dopant simultaneously optimizes the electrical power factor and suppresses thermal conductivity. Both the enhanced point-defect and electron-phonon scatterings contribute to a significant reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. An eight couple prototype thermoelectric module exhibits a high conversion efficiency of 6.2% and a high power density of 2.2 W cm(-2) at a temperature difference of 655 K. These findings highlight the optimization strategy for heavy-band thermoelectric materials and demonstrate a realistic prospect of high-temperature thermoelectric modules based on half-Heusler alloys with low cost, excellent mechanical robustness and stability.

12 CFR 221.7 - Supplement: Maximum loan value of margin stock and other collateral.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... value of margin stock and other collateral. (a) Maximum loan value of margin stock. The maximum loan... nonmargin stock and all other collateral. The maximum loan value of nonmargin stock and all other collateral... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Supplement: Maximum loan value of margin stock...

Probing dark energy in the scope of a Bianchi type I spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amirhashchi, Hassan

2018-03-01

It is well known that the flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric is a special case of Bianchi type I spacetime. In this paper, we use 38 Hubble parameter, H (z ), measurements at intermediate redshifts 0.07 ≤z ≤2.36 and its joint combination with the latest "joint light curves" (JLA) sample, comprising 740 type Ia supernovae in the redshift range of z ɛ [0.01 ,1.30 ] to constrain the parameters of the Bianchi type I dark energy model. We also use the same datasets to constrain flat a Λ CDM model. In both cases, we specifically address the expansion rate H0 as well as the transition redshift zt determinations out of these measurements. In both models, we found that using joint combination of datasets gives rise to lower values for model parameters. Also to compare the considered cosmologies, we have made Akaike information criterion and Bayes factor (Ψ ) tests.

The Thermoelectric Properties and Flexural Strength of Nano-TiN/Co4Sb11.3Te0.58Se0.12 Composites Affected by Annealing Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pengfei, Wen; Pengcheng, Zhai; Shijie, Ding; Bo, Duan; Yao, Li

2017-05-01

This paper is devoted to investigating the thermoelectric properties and flexural strength of the nano-TiN (1 vol.%) dispersed Co4Sb11.3Te0.58Se0.12 composites affected by different thermal annealing treatments at 773 K in a vacuum. After 200 h of annealing treatment, the density of the sample decreases by 4% compared with that before annealing. Moreover, the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity decline because of the higher porosity in the annealed sample. However, the Seebeck coefficient changes little after annealing. As a result, the ZT value varies slightly after 200 h of annealing. In addition, it is noteworthy that the flexural strength decreases by 16% after 200 h of annealing treatment. Furthermore, the discrete degree of the flexural strength increases with increasing annealing time.

Thermoelectric properties of Nb3SbxTe7-x compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, J.; Wang, S.; Caillat, T.

2002-01-01

Niobium antimony telluride, Nb3Sbx,Te7-x, was synthesized and tested for thermoelectric properties in the Thermoelectrics group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The forty atoms per unit cell of Nb3Sb2Te5 and its varied mixture of atoms yield acomplicated structure, suggesting that Nb3Sb2Te5 and related compounds may exhibit low thermal conductivity and hence a higher ZT value. Nb3SbxTe7-x, compounds were synthesized and subsequently analyzed for their Seebeck voltage, heat conduction, and electrical resistivity. Results indicate that Nb3Sb2Te5 is a heavily doped semiconductor whose thermoelectric properties are compromised by compensating n-type and p-type carriers. Attempts to dope in favor of either carrier by varying the Sb:Te ratio yielded samples containing secondary metallic phases that dominated the transport properties of the resulting compounds.

Recent Development of Thermoelectric Polymers and Composites.

PubMed

Yao, Hongyan; Fan, Zeng; Cheng, Hanlin; Guan, Xin; Wang, Chen; Sun, Kuan; Ouyang, Jianyong

2018-03-01

Thermoelectric materials can be used as the active materials in thermoelectric generators and as Peltier coolers for direct energy conversion between heat and electricity. Apart from inorganic thermoelectric materials, thermoelectric polymers have been receiving great attention due to their unique advantages including low cost, high mechanical flexibility, light weight, low or no toxicity, and intrinsically low thermal conductivity. The power factor of thermoelectric polymers has been continuously rising, and the highest ZT value is more than 0.25 at room temperature. The power factor can be further improved by forming composites with nanomaterials. This article provides a review of recent developments on thermoelectric polymers and polymer composites. It focuses on the relationship between thermoelectric properties and the materials structure, including chemical structure, microstructure, dopants, and doping levels. Their thermoelectric properties can be further improved to be comparable to inorganic counterparts in the near future. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermoelectric Properties of the Homologous Compounds Pb5Bi6Se14- x I x ( x = 0.0, 0.025, and 0.05)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sassi, S.; Candolfi, C.; Dauscher, A.; Lenoir, B.

2018-06-01

Homologous compounds represent an interesting platform for design of new thermoelectric materials. We report herein on synthesis, structural and chemical characterizations, and high-temperature (300 K to 700 K) transport properties measurements of Pb5Bi6Se14- x I x ( x = 0.0, 0.025, and 0.05) homologous compounds. Successful insertion of iodine into the crystal structure of Pb5Bi6Se14 was confirmed by its influence on the transport properties. The doping effectiveness of iodine was demonstrated by the increase in the electron concentration, resulting in more pronounced metallic character of transport with respect to undoped Pb5Bi6Se14. The peak ZT value of 0.5, which was achieved at 700 K in the x = 0.025 sample, remains similar to that obtained in Pb5Bi6Se14.

Thermoelectric clathrates of type I.

PubMed

Christensen, Mogens; Johnsen, Simon; Iversen, Bo Brummerstedt

2010-01-28

Thermoelectric clathrates hold significant promise for high temperature applications with zT values exceeding 1.3. The inorganic clathrates have been shown to be both chemically and thermally stable at high temperatures, and high performance can be obtained from both single crystals and processed powders. The clathrates also show excellent compatibility factors in segmented module applications. For a materials chemist it is furthermore of great importance that the clathrates exhibit a very rich chemistry with the ability for substitution of many different elements. This allows delicate tuning of both the crystal structure as well as the physical properties. With all these assets, it is not surprising that clathrates have been intensely investigated in the thermoelectric community during the past decade. The present perspective provides a review of the many studies concerned with the synthesis, crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of clathrates with emphasis on the type I clathrate.

High-performance thermoelectric minerals: Colusites Cu26V2M6S32 (M = Ge, Sn)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suekuni, Koichiro; Kim, Fiseong S.; Nishiate, Hirotaka; Ohta, Michihiro; Tanaka, Hiromi I.; Takabatake, Toshiro

2014-09-01

We report thermoelectric (TE) properties of dense samples of colusites Cu26V2M6S32 (M = Ge, Sn), most of which are composed of earth-abundant elements; Cu and S. The combination of p-type metallic conduction and large thermopowers greater than 200 μV/K leads to high TE power factors of 0.61 and 0.48 mW/K2 m at 663 K for M = Ge and Sn samples, respectively. Furthermore, the lattice thermal conductivity is smaller than 0.6 W/Km over the temperature range from 350 K to 663 K due to the structural complexity. As a consequence, the values of dimensionless TE figure of merit ZT for M = Ge and Sn reach 0.73 and 0.56 at 663 K, respectively. Thus, the colusites are promising candidates for environmental friendly TE materials usable in the range of 500-700 K.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Ji-Hui; Yuan, Qinghong; Deng, Huixiong

Current thermoelectric (TE) materials often have low performance or contain less abundant and/or toxic elements, thus limiting their large-scale applications. Therefore, new TE materials with high efficiency and low cost are strongly desirable. Here we demonstrate that SiS and SiSe monolayers made from nontoxic and earth-abundant elements intrinsically have low thermal conductivities arising from their low-frequency optical phonon branches with large overlaps with acoustic phonon modes, which is similar to the state-of-the-art experimentally demonstrated material SnSe with a layered structure. Together with high thermal power factors due to their two-dimensional nature, they show promising TE performances with large figure ofmore » merit (ZT) values exceeding 1 or 2 over a wide range of temperatures. We establish some basic understanding of identifying layered materials with low thermal conductivities, which can guide and stimulate the search and study of other layered materials for TE applications.« less

Thermoelectric performance of SrTiO3 enhanced by nanostructuring-self-assembled particulate film of nanocubes.

PubMed

Dang, Feng; Wan, Chunlei; Park, Nam-Hee; Tsuruta, Kazuki; Seo, Won-Seon; Koumoto, Kunihito

2013-11-13

Self-assembled particulate films with a uniform structure over a large area were prepared from La-SrTiO3 nanocubes for thermoelectric applications. UV irradiation was used to assist the formation of particulate film for decomposition of the organic phase in situ to obtain a mechanically robust structure at high temperature. The thermoelectric properties of the particulate film were measured after calcination at 1000 °C under a reductive atmosphere (Ar/H2 = 60/40). A Seebeck coefficient of S = -239 ± 24 μV/K, electrical conductivity of σ = 160 ± 5 S/cm, and thermal conductivity of κ ≈ 1.5 W/mK were obtained for a self-assembled particulate film (La: 5%) corresponding to a ZT value of 0.2 at room temperature, which exceeded that of a La-SrTiO3 single crystal with similar composition.

Thermoelectric properties of Bi1-xSnxCuSeO solid solutions.

PubMed

Yang, Yuqing; Liu, Xiaocun; Liang, Xin

2017-02-21

We report the enhanced thermoelectric properties of p-type BiCuSeO by tin doping on bismuth sites. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis and Hall measurements indicated effective tin doping in all samples. We found that the doping efficiency of Sn is lower than expected, as seen from the measured carrier concentration. First-principles calculations indicate that the Sn lone pair modifies the band structure at the Fermi level, with the consequent effect observed in the electrical transport and Seebeck coefficient measurements. An enhanced thermoelectric power factor of ∼2.5 μW cm -1 K -2 was reached at 773 K. No significant effect of Sn doping on the thermal conductivity was found; a thermoelectric figure of merit value (ZT) of 0.3 at 773 K is achieved for Bi 0.9 Sn 0.1 CuSeO, which is more than twice that of the pristine BiCuSeO.

Thermoelectric properties and chlorine doping effect of In4Pb0.01Sn0.03Se2.9Clx polycrystalline compounds.

PubMed

Hee Kim, Jin; Jae Kim, Min; Oh, Suekyung; Rhyee, Jong-Soo; Park, Su-Dong; Ahn, Docheon

2015-02-21

We investigated the thermoelectric properties of Cl-doped polycrystalline compounds In4Pb0.01Sn0.03Se2.9Clx (x = 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06). X-ray diffraction measurement shows a gradual change in lattice volume for x ≤ 0.04 without any impurity phases indicating a systemic change in Cl doping. The Cl doping in the compounds has the effect of increasing carrier concentration and the effective mass of carriers, resulting in an increase in power factor at a high temperature (∼700 K). Because of the increased electrical conductivity at a high temperature, the dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT reaches 1.25 at 723 K for the x = 0.04 Cl-doped compound, which is a relatively high value for n-type polycrystalline materials.

Gauging the Nearness and Size of Cycle Maximum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Robert M.; Hathaway, David H.

2003-01-01

A simple method for monitoring the nearness and size of conventional cycle maximum for an ongoing sunspot cycle is examined. The method uses the observed maximum daily value and the maximum monthly mean value of international sunspot number and the maximum value of the 2-mo moving average of monthly mean sunspot number to effect the estimation. For cycle 23, a maximum daily value of 246, a maximum monthly mean of 170.1, and a maximum 2-mo moving average of 148.9 were each observed in July 2000. Taken together, these values strongly suggest that conventional maximum amplitude for cycle 23 would be approx. 124.5, occurring near July 2002 +/-5 mo, very close to the now well-established conventional maximum amplitude and occurrence date for cycle 23-120.8 in April 2000.

Tuning the charge carrier density in the thermoelectric colusite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Fiseong S.; Suekuni, Koichiro, E-mail: ksuekuni@hiroshima-u.ac.jp; Tanaka, Hiromi I.

2016-05-07

The colusite Cu{sub 26}V{sub 2}Sn{sub 6}S{sub 32} has high potential as a thermoelectric material at medium-high temperatures because of a large Seebeck coefficient (S ≃ 220 μV/K) and rather small electrical resistivity (ρ ≃ 100 μΩm) at 660 K. To improve the thermoelectric performance, we have tuned the hole carrier density p by substituting Zn for Cu in Cu{sub 26−x}Zn{sub x}V{sub 2}Sn{sub 6}S{sub 32} (x = 1–3) and starting with Cu and Sn deficient compositions in Cu{sub 26−y}V{sub 2}Sn{sub 6}S{sub 32} (y = 1, 2) and Cu{sub 26}V{sub 2}Sn{sub 6−z}S{sub 32} (z = 0.25–1), respectively. Powder x-ray diffraction and electron-probe microanalysis showed that the Zn-substituted samples and Sn-deficient (z ≥ 0.5)more » samples are formed in a single phase, whereas the Cu{sub 26−y}V{sub 2}Sn{sub 6}S{sub 32} samples are composed of two phases with slightly different compositions. Within these samples, the value of p at 300 K varies in the range between 3.6 × 10{sup 20} and 2.8 × 10{sup 21 }cm{sup −3}. The relation between p and S led to the effective mass m* of 4–7m{sub 0} for the hole carriers. The large S of the colusite is therefore ascribed to the heavy mass carriers of the valence band top. The decreases in p with x and y reduced the dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT, whereas the increase in p with z raised ZT from 0.56 (z = 0) to 0.62 (z = 0.5) at 660 K.« less

Crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of Sr–Mo substituted CaMnO3: a combined experimental and computational study† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5tc02318a

PubMed Central

Srivastava, D.; Azough, F.; Combe, E.; Funahashi, R.; Kepaptsoglou, D. M.; Ramasse, Q. M.; Molinari, M.; Yeandel, S. R.; Baran, J. D.

2015-01-01

A combination of experimental and computational techniques has been employed to study doping effects in perovskite CaMnO3. High quality Sr–Mo co-substituted CaMnO3 ceramics were prepared by the conventional mixed oxide route. Crystallographic data from X-ray and electron diffraction showed an orthorhombic to tetragonal symmetry change on increasing the Sr content, suggesting that Sr widens the transition temperature in CaMnO3 preventing phase transformation-cracking on cooling after sintering, enabling the fabrication of high density ceramics. Atomically resolved imaging and analysis showed a random distribution of Sr in the A-site of the perovskite structure and revealed a boundary structure of 90° rotational twin boundaries across {101}orthorhombic; the latter are predominant phonon scattering sources to lower the thermal conductivity as suggested by molecular dynamics calculations. The effect of doping on the thermoelectric properties was evaluated. Increasing Sr substitution reduces the Seebeck coefficient but the power factor remains high due to improved densification by Sr substitution. Mo doping generates additional charge carriers due to the presence of Mn3+ in the Mn4+ matrix, reducing electrical resistivity. The major impact of Sr on thermoelectric behaviour is the reduction of the thermal conductivity as shown experimentally and by modelling. Strontium containing ceramics showed thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) values higher than 0.1 at temperatures above 850 K. Ca0.7Sr0.3Mn0.96Mo0.04O3 ceramics exhibit enhanced properties with S 1000K = –180 μV K–1, ρ 1000K = 5 × 10–5 Ωm, k 1000K = 1.8 W m–1 K–1 and ZT ≈ 0.11 at 1000 K. PMID:28496979

Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties in the 2D Ti1 – xNbxS3 Trichalcogenides

PubMed Central

Misse, Patrick R. N.; Berthebaud, David; Lebedev, Oleg I.; Maignan, Antoine; Guilmeau, Emmanuel

2015-01-01

A solid solution of Ti1 − xNbxS3 composition (x = 0, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10) was synthesized by solid-liquid-vapor reaction followed by spark plasma sintering. The obtained compounds crystallize in the monoclinic ZrSe3 structure type. For the x = 0.07 sample, a mixture of both A and B variants of the MX3 structure is evidenced by transmission electron microscopy. This result contrasts with those of pristine TiS3, prepared within the same conditions, which crystallizes as a large majority of A variant. Thermoelectric properties were investigated in the temperature range 323 to 523 K. A decrease in the electrical resistivity and absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient is observed when increasing x due to electron doping. The lattice component of the thermal conductivity is effectively reduced by the Nb for Ti substitution through a mass fluctuation effect and/or a disorder effect created by the mixture of both A and B variants. Due to the low carrier concentration and the semiconductor character of the doped compounds, the too low power factor values leads to ZT values that remain smaller by a factor of 50 than those of the TiS2 layered compound.

The magnetic, electrical transport and thermal transport properties of Fe-based antipervoskite compounds ZnCxFe3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, S.; Wang, B. S.; Lin, J. C.; Huang, Y. N.; Hu, X. B.; Lu, W. J.; Zhao, B. C.; Tong, P.; Song, W. H.; Sun, Y. P.

2011-10-01

The effects of carbon concentration on the crystal structure, magnetic, and electrical/thermal transport properties of ZnCxFe3 (1.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5) have been investigated systematically. Both the Curie temperature and the saturated magnetization decrease firstly and then reach saturation with increasing x. The investigations of heat capacity and resistivity indicate that ZnC1.2Fe3 displays a strongly correlated Fermi liquid behavior considering its Kadowaki-Woods ratio (˜0.64 a0). Around the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition (˜358 K), a reversible room-temperature magnetocaloric effect is observed. The relative cooling power (RCP) is ˜164 J/kg (˜385 J/kg) with the magnetic field change ΔH = 20 kOe (45 kOe). Considering the considerable large RCP, inexpensive and innoxious raw materials, ZnC1.2Fe3 is suggested to be a promising candidate for room-temperature magnetic refrigeration. Furthermore, the studies of thermal transport properties indicate that ZnC1.2Fe3 can also be a potential thermoelectric material with the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT = α2T/ρk) reaching its maximum of 0.0112 around 170 K.

Enhanced stability and thermoelectric figure-of-merit in copper selenide by lithium doping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kang, Stephen Dongmin; Pöhls, Jan-Hendrik; Aydemir, Umut

Superionic thermoelectric materials have been shown to have high figure-of-merits, leading to expectations for efficient high-temperature thermoelectric generators. These compounds exhibit extremely high cation diffusivity, comparable to that of a liquid, which is believed to be associated with the low thermal conductivity that makes superionic materials good for thermoelectrics. However, the superionic behavior causes cation migration that leads to device deterioration, being the main obstacle for practical applications. It has been reported that lithium doping in superionic Cu2-xSe leads to suppression of the Cu ion diffusivity, but whether the material will retain the promising thermoelectric properties had not yet beenmore » investigated. Here, we report a maximum zT>1.4 from Li0.09Cu1.9Se, which is higher than what we find in the undoped samples. The high temperature effective weighted mobility of the doped sample is found higher than Cu2-xSe, while the lattice thermal conductivity remains similar. We find signatures of suppressed bipolar conduction due to an enlarged band gap. Our findings set forth a possible route for tuning the stability of superionic thermoelectric materials.« less

Enhanced thermoelectric figure-of-merit in environmentally benign BaxSr2-xTiCoO6 double perovskites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Mandvi; Roy, Pinku; Acharya, Megha; Bose, Imon; Tanwar, Khagesh; Maiti, Tanmoy

2016-12-01

Environmental friendly, non-toxic double perovskite BaxSr2-xTiCoO6 compositions with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2 were synthesized using solid-state reaction route for high temperature thermoelectric (TE) applications. XRD and SEM studies confirmed the presence of single-phase solid solution with highly dense microstructure for all the oxide compositions. Temperature dependent electrical conductivity measurement showed semiconductor to metal (M-S) transition in these double perovskites. Incorporation of barium in Sr2TiCoO6 pushed M-S transition to higher temperature making it a potential candidate for high temperature TE applications. Conductivity behaviors of these oxides were explained by small polaron model. Furthermore, these oxides exhibit a glass like behavior resulting in low thermal conductivity. Low temperature dielectric measurement revealed relaxor ferroelectric behavior in these oxides below room temperature. Transition of these relaxors into a glassy state beyond Burns temperature (TD) was found responsible for having low thermal conductivity in these oxides. Maximum dimensionless TE figure-of-merit ZT = 0.29 at 1223 K was achieved for BaxSr2-xTiCoO6 composition with x = 0.2.

Combined pressure-thermal inactivation kinetics of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores in egg patty mince.

PubMed

Rajan, S; Ahn, J; Balasubramaniam, V M; Yousef, A E

2006-04-01

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is a potential surrogate for Clostridium botulinum in validation studies involving bacterial spore inactivation by pressure-assisted thermal processing. Spores of B. amyloliquefaciens Fad 82 were inoculated into egg patty mince (approximately 1.4 x 10(8) spores per g), and the product was treated with combinations of pressure (0.1 to 700 MPa) and heat (95 to 121 degrees C) in a custom-made high-pressure kinetic tester. The values for the inactivation kinetic parameter (D), temperature coefficient (zT), and pressure coefficient (zP) were determined with a linear model. Inactivation parameters from the nonlinear Weibull model also were estimated. An increase in process pressure decreased the D-value at 95, 105, and 110 degrees C; however, at 121 degrees C the contribution of pressure to spore lethality was less pronounced. The zP-value increased from 170 MPa at 95 degrees C to 332 MPa at 121 degrees C, suggesting that B. amyloliquefaciens spores became less sensitive to pressure changes at higher temperatures. Similarly, the zT-value increased from 8.2 degrees C at 0.1 MPa to 26.8 degrees C at 700 MPa, indicating that at elevated pressures, the spores were less sensitive to changes in temperature. The nonlinear Weibull model parameter b increased with increasing pressure or temperature and was inversely related to the D-value. Pressure-assisted thermal processing is a potential alternative to thermal processing for producing shelf-stable egg products.

Parametric Trajectory Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-10-01

TULA 444 URITEI6.95) 179 180 49 NWC TP 5864 179 176 ISO + REAO(5.3IO> . NTAB.VKT.QE. \\TEMP.ZT.ZO ^ /CALL EXIT\\ READɝ.311> IX.RIY.UTO.VO...11472. 984. 11514. 966. 11555. 949. 11596. 931. D1ST DRAG 11187. .176 11228. .175 11270. .174 11311. .173 11352 . .172 11393. .171

An experimental approach of decoupling Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhammed Sabeer N., A.; Paulson, Anju; Pradyumnan, P. P.

2018-04-01

The Thermoelectrics (TE) has drawn increased attention among renewable energy technologies. The performance of a thermoelectric material is quantified by a dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT=S2σT/κ, where S and σ vary inversely each other. Thus, improvement in ZT is not an easy task. So, researchers have been trying different parameter variations during thin film processing to improve TE properties. In this work, tin nitride (Sn3N4) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by reactive RF magnetron sputtering and investigated its thermoelectric response. To decouple the covariance nature of Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity for the enhancement of power factor (S2σ), the nitrogen gas pressure during sputtering was reduced. Reduction in nitrogen gas pressure reduced both sputtering pressure and amount of nitrogen available for reaction during sputtering. This experimental approach of combined effect introduced preferred orientation and stoichiometric variations simultaneously in the sputtered Sn3N4 thin films. The scattering mechanism associated with these variations enhanced TE properties by independently drive the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity parameters.

Electronic structure of some complex thermoelectrics - role of dimensional confinement and nanostructuring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahanti, Subhendra D.; Hoang, Khang

2016-12-01

Thermoelectric materials are of great current interest for a number of energy-related applications such as waste heat recovery, terrestrial cooling, and thermoelectric power generation. There have been several significant recent advances in improving the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT; in some instances, ZT > 2 at high temperatures. Concepts like electron-crystal phonon-glass, dimensional confinement, nanostructuring, energy filtering, and intrinsic lattice anharmonicity have not only acted as guiding principles in synthesizing new materials but also for electronic structure engineering using theoretical calculations. In this review paper, we discuss these concepts and present a few examples of theoretical studies of electronic structure and transport properties illustrating how some of these ideas work. The four types of systems we discuss are quaternary chalcogenides LAST-m, nanoscale mixtures of half-Heusler and Heusler compounds, ternary chalcogenide compounds of type ABX2 where the electronic structure near the band gap depends sensitively on the ordering of A and B atoms, and naturally occurring bulk superlattices formed out of alternating ionic and semiconducting bilayers as in SrFAgTe.

Thermoelectric Transport in Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Liu, Bin; Hu, Jizhu; Zhou, Jun; Yang, Ronggui

2017-01-01

Thermoelectric materials which can convert energies directly between heat and electricity are used for solid state cooling and power generation. There is a big challenge to improve the efficiency of energy conversion which can be characterized by the figure of merit (ZT). In the past two decades, the introduction of nanostructures into bulk materials was believed to possibly enhance ZT. Nanocomposites is one kind of nanostructured material system which includes nanoconstituents in a matrix material or is a mixture of different nanoconstituents. Recently, nanocomposites have been theoretically proposed and experimentally synthesized to be high efficiency thermoelectric materials by reducing the lattice thermal conductivity due to phonon-interface scattering and enhancing the electronic performance due to manipulation of electron scattering and band structures. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in both theoretical and experimental works in the field of nanocomposite thermoelectric materials. In particular, we present various models of both phonon transport and electron transport in various nanocomposites established in the last few years. The phonon-interface scattering, low-energy electrical carrier filtering effect, and miniband formation, etc., in nanocomposites are discussed. PMID:28772777

A Density Functional Theory Study of Codoping Characteristics of Sulfur with Alkaline Earth in Delafossite CuAlO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qi-Jun; Qin, Han; Liu, Zheng-Tang

2016-04-01

The structural, electronic properties and formation energies of sulfur and alkaline earth codoped delafossite CuAlO2 have been investigated using the first-principles density functional theory calculations. Our results reveal that the volume of codoping systems increases with the increasing atomic radius of metal atoms. The formation energies under different growth conditions have been calculated, showing that the codoping systems are formed easily under O-rich growth conditions. Electronic band structures and density of states have been obtained. The decreased bandgaps, enhanced covalence and appearance of electron acceptors after codoping are all good for p-type conductivity. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 11347199, 51402244, and 11547311, the Specialized Research Fund for Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China under Grant No. 20130184120028, the Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities, China under Grant Nos. 2682014CX084, 2682014ZT30, and 2682014ZT31, and the fund of the State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing in NWPU under Grant No. SKLSP201511

Impact of parasitic thermal effects on thermoelectric property measurements by Harman method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwon, Beomjin, E-mail: bkwon@kist.re.kr; Baek, Seung-Hyub; Keun Kim, Seong

2014-04-15

Harman method is a rapid and simple technique to measure thermoelectric properties. However, its validity has been often questioned due to the over-simplified assumptions that this method relies on. Here, we quantitatively investigate the influence of the previously ignored parasitic thermal effects on the Harman method and develop a method to determine an intrinsic ZT. We expand the original Harman relation with three extra terms: heat losses via both the lead wires and radiation, and Joule heating within the sample. Based on the expanded Harman relation, we use differential measurement of the sample geometry to measure the intrinsic ZT. Tomore » separately evaluate the parasitic terms, the measured ZTs with systematically varied sample geometries and the lead wire types are fitted to the expanded relation. A huge discrepancy (∼28%) of the measured ZTs depending on the measurement configuration is observed. We are able to separately evaluate those parasitic terms. This work will help to evaluate the intrinsic thermoelectric property with Harman method by eliminating ambiguities coming from extrinsic effects.« less

Ab initio optimization of phonon drag effect for lower-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion.

PubMed

Zhou, Jiawei; Liao, Bolin; Qiu, Bo; Huberman, Samuel; Esfarjani, Keivan; Dresselhaus, Mildred S; Chen, Gang

2015-12-01

Although the thermoelectric figure of merit zT above 300 K has seen significant improvement recently, the progress at lower temperatures has been slow, mainly limited by the relatively low Seebeck coefficient and high thermal conductivity. Here we report, for the first time to our knowledge, success in first-principles computation of the phonon drag effect--a coupling phenomenon between electrons and nonequilibrium phonons--in heavily doped region and its optimization to enhance the Seebeck coefficient while reducing the phonon thermal conductivity by nanostructuring. Our simulation quantitatively identifies the major phonons contributing to the phonon drag, which are spectrally distinct from those carrying heat, and further reveals that although the phonon drag is reduced in heavily doped samples, a significant contribution to Seebeck coefficient still exists. An ideal phonon filter is proposed to enhance zT of silicon at room temperature by a factor of 20 to ∼ 0.25, and the enhancement can reach 70 times at 100 K. This work opens up a new venue toward better thermoelectrics by harnessing nonequilibrium phonons.

Thermoelectric Transport in Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Liu, Bin; Hu, Jizhu; Zhou, Jun; Yang, Ronggui

2017-04-15

Thermoelectric materials which can convert energies directly between heat and electricity are used for solid state cooling and power generation. There is a big challenge to improve the efficiency of energy conversion which can be characterized by the figure of merit ( ZT ). In the past two decades, the introduction of nanostructures into bulk materials was believed to possibly enhance ZT . Nanocomposites is one kind of nanostructured material system which includes nanoconstituents in a matrix material or is a mixture of different nanoconstituents. Recently, nanocomposites have been theoretically proposed and experimentally synthesized to be high efficiency thermoelectric materials by reducing the lattice thermal conductivity due to phonon-interface scattering and enhancing the electronic performance due to manipulation of electron scattering and band structures. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in both theoretical and experimental works in the field of nanocomposite thermoelectric materials. In particular, we present various models of both phonon transport and electron transport in various nanocomposites established in the last few years. The phonon-interface scattering, low-energy electrical carrier filtering effect, and miniband formation, etc., in nanocomposites are discussed.

Preparation and Thermoelectric Properties of Graphite/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Wenhua; Zhou, Hongyu; Mu, Xin; He, Danqi; Ji, Pengxia; Hou, Weikang; Wei, Ping; Zhu, Wanting; Nie, Xiaolei; Zhao, Wenyu

2018-06-01

Bismuth telluride zone-melting alloys are the most commercially used thermoelectric materials. However, the zone-melting ingots have weak machinability due to the strong preferred orientation. Here, non-textured graphite/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (G/BST) composites were prepared by a powder metallurgy method combined with cold-pressing and annealing treatments. The composition, microstructure, and thermoelectric properties of the G/BST composites with different mass percentages of G were investigated. It was found that G addition could effectively reduce the thermal conductivity and slightly improve the electrical properties of the BST, which resulted in a large enhancement in the figure-of-merit, ZT. The largest ZT for the xG/BST composites with x = 0.05% reached 1.05 at 320 K, which is increased by 35% as compared with that of the G-free BST materials. This work provided an effective method for preparing non-textured Bi2Te3-based TE materials with a simple process, low cost, and large potential in scale production.

Thermoelectric properties optimization of Fe2VGa by tuning electronic density of states via titanium doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Pai-Chun; Huang, Ta-Sung; Lin, Shu-Wei; Guo, Guang-Yu; Chen, Yang-Yuan

2015-10-01

We report the correlation between thermoelectric properties and electronic band structure of thermoelectric Heusler alloy Fe2V1-xTixGa by comparing experimental measurements with theoretical calculations. The electrical resistivity data show that the semiconducting-like behavior of pure Fe2VGa is transformed to a more metallic-like behavior at x = 0.1. Meanwhile, an enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient was observed for all Ti doped specimens at elevated temperatures with a peak value of 57 μV/K for x = 0.05 at 300 K. The experimental results can be elucidated by the calculated band structure, i.e., a gradual shifting of the Fermi level from the middle of the pseudogap to the region of valence bands. With optimized doping, the thermoelectric power factor can be significantly enhanced to 3.95 mW m-1 K-2 at room temperature, which is comparable to the power factors of Bi2Te3-based compounds. The synergy of thermal conductivity reduction due to the alloying effect and the significant increase of the thermoelectric power factor leads to higher order zT values than that of prime Fe2VGa.

Masking responses to light in period mutant mice.

PubMed

Pendergast, Julie S; Yamazaki, Shin

2011-10-01

Masking is an acute effect of an external signal on an overt rhythm and is distinct from the process of entrainment. In the current study, we investigated the phase dependence and molecular mechanisms regulating masking effects of light pulses on spontaneous locomotor activity in mice. The circadian genes, Period1 (Per1) and Per2, are necessary components of the timekeeping machinery and entrainment by light appears to involve the induction of the expression of Per1 and Per2 mRNAs in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). We assessed the roles of the Per genes in regulating masking by assessing the effects of light pulses on nocturnal locomotor activity in C57BL/6J Per mutant mice. We found that Per1(-/-) and Per2(-/-) mice had robust negative masking responses to light. In addition, the locomotor activity of Per1(-/-)/Per2(-/-) mice appeared to be rhythmic in the light-dark (LD) cycle, and the phase of activity onset was advanced (but varied among individual mice) relative to lights off. This rhythm persisted for 1 to 2 days in constant darkness in some Per1(-/-)/Per2(-/-) mice. Furthermore, Per1(-/-)/Per2(-/-) mice exhibited robust negative masking responses to light. Negative masking was phase dependent in wild-type mice such that maximal suppression was induced by light pulses at zeitgeber time 14 (ZT14) and gradually weaker suppression occurred during light pulses at ZT16 and ZT18. By measuring the phase shifts induced by the masking protocol (light pulses were administered to mice maintained in the LD cycle), we found that the phase responsiveness of Per mutant mice was altered compared to wild-types. Together, our data suggest that negative masking responses to light are robust in Per mutant mice and that the Per1(-/-)/Per2(-/-) SCN may be a light-driven, weak/damping oscillator.

A study on the stability and green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Ziziphora tenuior (Zt) extract at room temperature.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Babak; Gholamhoseinpoor, F

2015-01-05

Biomolecules present in plant extracts can be used to reduce metal ions to nanoparticles in a single-step green synthesis process. This biogenic reduction of metal ion to base metal is quite rapid, readily conducted at room temperature and pressure, and easily scaled up. Mediated Synthesis by plant extracts is environmentally benign. The involved reducing agents include the various water soluble plant metabolites (e.g. alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids) and co-enzymes. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles have the particular focus of plant-based syntheses. Extracts of a diverse range of Ziziphora tenuior (Zt) have been successfully used in making nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant properties of this plant and its ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles. Z.tenuior leaves were used to prepare the aqueous extract for this study. Silver nanoparticles were characterized with different techniques such as UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Transmission electron microscopy experiments showed that these nanoparticles are spherical and uniformly distributed and its size is from 8 to 40 nm. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that silver nanoparticles were functionalized with biomolecules that have primary amine group (NH₂), carbonyl group, -OH groups and other stabilizing functional groups. X-ray diffraction pattern showed high purity and face centered cubic structure of silver nanoparticles with size of 38 nm. In addition to plant extracts, live plants can be used for the synthesis. Here were view the methods of making nanoparticles using plant extracts. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) implies the right of forming silver nanoparticles. The results of TEM, SEM, FT-IR, UV-VIS and XRD confirm that the leaves extract of Zt can synthesis silver nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Day and night variations in the repair of ionizing-radiation-induced DNA damage in mouse splenocytes.

PubMed

Palombo, Philipp; Moreno-Villanueva, Maria; Mangerich, Aswin

2015-04-01

In mammals, biological rhythms synchronize physiological and behavioral processes to the 24-h light-dark (LD) cycle. At the molecular level, self-sustaining processes, such as oscillations of transcription-translation feedback loops, control the circadian clock, which in turn regulates a wide variety of cellular processes, including gene expression and cell cycle progression. Furthermore, previous studies reported circadian oscillations in the repair capacity of DNA lesions specifically repaired by nucleotide excision repair (NER). However, it is so far only poorly understood if DNA repair pathways other than NER are under circadian control, in particular base excision and DNA strand break repair. In the present study, we analyzed potential day and night variations in the repair of DNA lesions induced by ionizing radiation (i.e., mainly oxidative damage and DNA strand breaks) in living mouse splenocytes using a modified protocol of the automated FADU assay. Our results reveal that splenocytes isolated from mice during the light phase (ZT06) displayed higher DNA repair activity than those of the dark phase (ZT18). As analyzed by highly sensitive and accurate qPCR arrays, these alterations were accompanied by significant differences in expression profiles of genes involved in the circadian clock and DNA repair. Notably, the majority of the DNA repair genes were expressed at higher levels during the light phase (ZT06). This included genes of all major DNA repair pathways with the strongest differences observed for genes of base excision and DNA double strand break repair. In conclusion, here we provide novel evidence that mouse splenocytes exhibit significant differences in the repair of IR-induced DNA damage during the LD cycle, both on a functional and on a gene expression level. It will be interesting to test if these findings could be exploited for therapeutic purposes, e.g. time-of-the-day-specific application of DNA-damaging treatments used against blood malignancies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brown Norway and Zucker Lean Rats Demonstrate Circadian Variation in Ventilation and Sleep Apnea

PubMed Central

Fink, Anne M.; Topchiy, Irina; Ragozzino, Michael; Amodeo, Dionisio A.; Waxman, Jonathan A.; Radulovacki, Miodrag G.; Carley, David W.

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: Circadian rhythms influence many biological systems, but there is limited information about circadian and diurnal variation in sleep related breathing disorder. We examined circadian and diurnal patterns in sleep apnea and ventilatory patterns in two rat strains, one with high sleep apnea propensity (Brown Norway [BN]) and the other with low sleep apnea propensity (Zucker Lean [ZL]). Design/Setting: Chronically instrumented rats were randomized to breathe room air (control) or 100% oxygen (hyperoxia), and we performed 20-h polysomnography beginning at Zeitgeber time 4 (ZT 4; ZT 0 = lights on, ZT12 = lights off). We examined the effect of strain and inspired gas (twoway analysis of variance) and analyzed circadian and diurnal variability. Measurements and Results: Strain and inspired gas-dependent differences in apnea index (AI; apneas/h) were particularly prominent during the light phase. AI in BN rats (control, 16.9 ± 0.9; hyperoxia, 34.0 ± 5.8) was greater than in ZL rats (control, 8.5 ± 1.0; hyperoxia, 15.4 ± 1.1, [strain effect, P < 0.001; gas effect, P = 0.001]). Hyperoxia reduced respiratory frequency in both strains, and all respiratory pattern variables demonstrated circadian variability. BN rats exposed to hyperoxia demonstrated the largest circadian fluctuation in AI (amplitude = 17.9 ± 3.7 apneas/h [strain effect, P = 0.01; gas effect, P < 0.001; interaction, P = 0.02]; acrophase = 13.9 ± 0.7 h; r2 = 0.8 ± 1.4). Conclusions: Inherited, environmental, and circadian factors all are important elements of underlying sleep related breathing disorder. Our method to examine sleep related breathing disorder phenotypes in rats may have implications for understanding vulnerability for sleep related breathing disorder in humans. Citation: Fink AM; Topchiy I; Ragozzino M; Amodeo DA; Waxman JA; Radulovacki MG; Carley DW. Brown Norway and Zucker Lean rats demonstrate circadian variation in ventilation and sleep apnea. SLEEP 2014;37(4):715-721. PMID:24899760

Interacting dynamic Wannier-Stark ladder driven by a periodic pulse train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hino, Ken-Ichi; Tong, Xiao Min; Toshima, Nobuyuki

2008-01-01

The electronic structures of the Floquet states of the dynamic Wannier-Stark ladder (DWSL) are examined, where the DWSL is formed by driving the biased superlattices (SLs) by the periodic pulse train (PPT) with the electric field F(t) —with time t —and the temporal period 2π/ω . For a strong F(t) , interminiband interactions, namely, the ac-Zener tunneling (ac-ZT), are predominantly caused in the DWSL. Such a system is termed the interacting DWSL. In order to understand the details of the Floquet states and the modulation patterns by alteration of a couple of the PPT laser parameters, the linear absorption spectra, αabs(ωp;ω) , of optical interband transitions invoked by the monochromatic probe laser fp(t) with the frequency ωp are calculated, where the spectra are not only linear in fp(t) but also nonlinear in F(t) . The exciton effect is not included for the sake of simplicity. For the PPT driving with unit-pulse shapes largely deviated from the square and saw-toothed profiles, the spectra show unexpected dent structures, differing a great deal from the corresponding ac-ZT-free spectra basically similar to those of the original SLs just showing the ascending steplike structure. To deepen the understanding of this anomaly, the spectra of αabs0(ωp;ω)∝∂αabs(ωp;ω)/∂ωp are also calculated, whereby the dent structures become spectral dips showing the negative absorption. It is found that such anomalous behavior is attributed to the ac-ZT between different minibands that accompanies emission/absorption of the nonzero net number of photons with Jω (with J a nonzero integer). This anomaly also shows the unusual time dependence in the dual-time optical susceptibility associated with αabs0(ωp;ω) . Moreover, the possibility of existence of the negative absorption in the more realistic excitonic spectra is speculated.

Improved thermoelectric performance of p-type polycrystalline bismuth telluride via hydrothermal treatment with alkali metal salts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Zhe

The field of thermoelectric research has attracted a lot of interest in hope of helping address the energy crisis. In recent years, low-dimensional thermoelectric materials have been found promising and thus become a popular school of thought. However, the high complexity and cost for fabricating low-dimensional materials give rise to the attempt to further improve conventional bulk polycrystalline materials. Polycrystals are featured by numerous grain boundaries that can scatter heat-carrying phonons to significantly reduce the thermal conductivity kappa whereas at the same time can unfortunately deteriorate the electrical resistivity rho. Aiming at the dualism of the grain boundaries in determining the transport properties of polycrystalline materials, a novel concept of "grain boundary engineering" has been proposed in order to have a thermoelectrically favorable grain boundary. In this dissertation, a polycrystalline p-type Bi2Te 3 system has been intensively investigated in light of such a concept that was realized through a hydrothermal nano-coating treatment technique. P-type Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 powder was hydrothermally treated with alkali metal salt XBH4 ( X = Na, K or Rb) solution. After the treatment, there formed an alkali-metal-containing surface layer of nanometers thick on the p-Bi2Te3 grains. The Na-treatment, leaving the Seebeck coefficient alpha almost untouched, lowered kappa the most while the Rb-treatment at the same time increased alpha slightly and decreased rho the most. Compared to the untreated sample, Na- and Rb-treatments improved the dimensionless figure of merit ZT by ˜ 30% due to the reduced kappa and ˜ 38% owing to the improved the power factor PF, respectively. The grain boundary phase provides a new avenue by which one can potentially decouple the otherwise inter-related alpha, rho and kappa within one thermoelectric material. The morphologic investigation showed this surface layer lacked crystallinity, if any, and was possibly an amorphous phase. Once Na- and Rb-treatments with various molar ratios were applied to the same sample, a similar grain boundary layer formed with a compositional gradient along the depth direction. The Hall effect measurements showed that the grain boundary phase introduced new carriers into the system and thereby compensated the loss in mobility. With alpha almost untouched, the rho to kappa ratio has been optimized by varying the Na:Rb ratio in the starting solution. As a result, the Na:Rb = 1:2 ratio yielded the best ZT value of ˜ 0.92 at 350K, comparable with that of the state-of-the-art p-Bi2Te3 commercial ingot. Besides ZT, the hydrothermal treatment lessened the temperature dependence of compatibility factor S of as-treated polycrystalline samples, helping a thermoelectric device have overall better performance even if it did not work under its optimal condition.

The power and robustness of maximum LOD score statistics.

PubMed

Yoo, Y J; Mendell, N R

2008-07-01

The maximum LOD score statistic is extremely powerful for gene mapping when calculated using the correct genetic parameter value. When the mode of genetic transmission is unknown, the maximum of the LOD scores obtained using several genetic parameter values is reported. This latter statistic requires higher critical value than the maximum LOD score statistic calculated from a single genetic parameter value. In this paper, we compare the power of maximum LOD scores based on three fixed sets of genetic parameter values with the power of the LOD score obtained after maximizing over the entire range of genetic parameter values. We simulate family data under nine generating models. For generating models with non-zero phenocopy rates, LOD scores maximized over the entire range of genetic parameters yielded greater power than maximum LOD scores for fixed sets of parameter values with zero phenocopy rates. No maximum LOD score was consistently more powerful than the others for generating models with a zero phenocopy rate. The power loss of the LOD score maximized over the entire range of genetic parameters, relative to the maximum LOD score calculated using the correct genetic parameter value, appeared to be robust to the generating models.

Simulation and Interpretation of Polarization Diversity Radar Spectral Functions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-28

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Nanoscale Thermoelectrics: A Study of the Absolute Seebeck Coefficient of Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, Sarah J.

The worlds demand for energy is ever increasing. Likewise, the environmental impact of climate change due generating that energy through combustion of fossil fuels is increasingly alarming. Due to these factors new sources of renewable energies are constantly being sought out. Thermoelectric devices have the ability to generate clean, renewable, energy out of waste heat. However promising that is, their inefficiency severely inhibits applicability and practical use. The usefulness of a thermoelectric material increases with the dimensionless quantity, ZT, which depends on the Seebeck coefficient and electrical and thermal conductivity. These characteristic material parameters have interdependent energy transport contributions that classically prohibit the optimization of one with out the detriment of another. Encouraging advancements of ZT have occurred in the past ten years due to the decoupling of the thermal and electrical conductivity. Further advancements are necessary in order to produce applicable devices. One auspicious way of decoupling or tuning energy transport properties, is through size reduction to the nanoscale. However, with reduced dimensions come complications in measuring material properties. Measurements of properties such as the Seebeck coefficient, S, are primarily contingent upon the measurement apparatus. The Seebeck coefficient is defined as the amount of voltage generated by a thermal gradient. Measuring a thermally generated voltage by traditional methods gives, the voltage measured as a linear function of the Seebeck coefficient of the leads and of the material being tested divided by the applied thermal gradient. If accurate values of the Seebeck coefficients of the leads are available, simple subtraction provides the answer. This is rarely the case in nanoscale measurement devices with leads exclusively made from thin film materials that do not have well known bulk-like thermopower values. We have developed a technique to directly measure, S, as a function of temperature using a micro-machined thermal isolation platform consisting of a suspended, patterned SiN membrane. By measuring a series of thicknesses of metallic films up to the infinitely thin film limit, in which the electrical resistivity is no longer decreasing with increasing film thickness, but still not at bulk values, along with the effective electron mean free path, we are able to show the contribution of the leads needed to measure this property. Having a comprehensive understanding of the background contribution we are able to determine the absolute Seebeck coefficient of a wide variety of thin films. The nature of the design of the SiN membrane also allows the ability to accurately and directly measure thermal and electrical transport of the thin films yielding a comprehensive measurement of the three quantities that characterize a material's efficiency. This can serve to further the development of thermoelectric materials through precise measurements of the material properties that dictate efficiency.

Thermoelectric properties of Te doped bulk Bi2Se3 system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, A. M.; Elshafaie, A.; Mohamed, Abd El-Moez A.; Petkov, P.; Ibrahim, E. M. M.

2018-03-01

Polycrystalline bulk samples of Bi2(Se1‑xTex)3 system with x = 0.0–0.9 were prepared by the conventional melting method. Successfully and cheaply, Se atoms were replaced by Te atoms to get Bi2Se3-Bi2Te3 or even Bi2Te3 alone. Difference of mass and size between Te and Se atoms is expected to result in interesting properties in the Bi2(Se1‑xTex)3 system. All compounds showed a metal-semiconductor conductivity transition. The electrical conduction in the pristine Bi2Se3 compound increases with the low Te doping ratio (x = 0.3) then decreases monotonically for further amounts of Te. The Seebeck coefficient of Bi2Se3 compound is positive showing up a p-type conduction. However, introducing Te content increases the n-type conduction with a decrease in the Seebeck coefficient absolute value. In addition, Bi2Se3 compound is found to exhibit relatively high room temperature power factor and figure of merit values of 2.13 μW/m.k2. In an attempt to determine the figure of merit ZT, Bi2Se3 seems to be the best for room temperature, whereas, Te addition at high values makes the system just suitable for high temperature application.

Thermoelectric materials ternary penta telluride and selenide compounds

DOEpatents

Sharp, Jeffrey W.

2001-01-01

Ternary tellurium compounds and ternary selenium compounds may be used in fabricating thermoelectric devices with a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 1.5 or greater. Examples of such compounds include Tl.sub.2 SnTe.sub.5, Tl.sub.2 GeTe.sub.5, K.sub.2 SnTe.sub.5 and Rb.sub.2 SnTe.sub.5. These compounds have similar types of crystal lattice structures which include a first substructure with a (Sn, Ge) Te.sub.5 composition and a second substructure with chains of selected cation atoms. The second substructure includes selected cation atoms which interact with selected anion atoms to maintain a desired separation between the chains of the first substructure. The cation atoms which maintain the desired separation between the chains occupy relatively large electropositive sites in the resulting crystal lattice structure which results in a relatively low value for the lattice component of thermal conductivity (.kappa..sub.g). The first substructure of anion chains indicates significant anisotropy in the thermoelectric characteristics of the resulting semiconductor materials.

Thermoelectric materials: ternary penta telluride and selenide compounds

DOEpatents

Sharp, Jeffrey W.

2002-06-04

Ternary tellurium compounds and ternary selenium compounds may be used in fabricating thermoelectric devices with a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 1.5 or greater. Examples of such compounds include Tl.sub.2 SnTe.sub.5, Tl.sub.2 GeTe.sub.5, K.sub.2 SnTe.sub.5 and Rb.sub.2 SnTe.sub.5. These compounds have similar types of crystal lattice structures which include a first substructure with a (Sn, Ge) Te.sub.5 composition and a second substructure with chains of selected cation atoms. The second substructure includes selected cation atoms which interact with selected anion atoms to maintain a desired separation between the chains of the first substructure. The cation atoms which maintain the desired separation between the chains occupy relatively large electropositive sites in the resulting crystal lattice structure which results in a relatively low value for the lattice component of thermal conductivity (.kappa..sub.g). The first substructure of anion chains indicates significant anisotropy in the thermoelectric characteristics of the resulting semiconductor materials.

Detailed Uncertainty Analysis of the ZEM-3 Measurement System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackey, Jon; Sehirlioglu, Alp; Dynys, Fred

2014-01-01

The measurement of Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity are critical to the investigation of all thermoelectric systems. Therefore, it stands that the measurement uncertainty must be well understood to report ZT values which are accurate and trustworthy. A detailed uncertainty analysis of the ZEM-3 measurement system has been performed. The uncertainty analysis calculates error in the electrical resistivity measurement as a result of sample geometry tolerance, probe geometry tolerance, statistical error, and multi-meter uncertainty. The uncertainty on Seebeck coefficient includes probe wire correction factors, statistical error, multi-meter uncertainty, and most importantly the cold-finger effect. The cold-finger effect plagues all potentiometric (four-probe) Seebeck measurement systems, as heat parasitically transfers through thermocouple probes. The effect leads to an asymmetric over-estimation of the Seebeck coefficient. A thermal finite element analysis allows for quantification of the phenomenon, and provides an estimate on the uncertainty of the Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric power factor has been found to have an uncertainty of +9-14 at high temperature and 9 near room temperature.

Preparation and Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu2Se-SnSe Composite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zhi; He, Danqi; Mu, Xin; Zhou, Hongyu; Li, Cuncheng; Ma, Shifang; Ji, Pengxia; Hou, Weikang; Wei, Ping; Zhu, Wanting; Nie, Xiaolei; Zhao, Wenyu

2018-03-01

A series of p-type xCu2Se-SnSe (x = 0%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, and 0.25%) composite thermoelectric materials have been prepared by the combination of ultrasonic dispersion and spark plasma sintering methods. The effects of secondary phase Cu2Se on the phase composition, microstructure, and thermoelectric properties of the composites were investigated. Microstructure characterization and elemental maps indicated Cu2Se grains uniformly distributed on the boundaries of the matrix. Transport measurements demonstrated that enhancement of the power factor and reduction of the thermal conductivity can be realized simultaneously by optimizing the adding content of Cu2Se. The highest ZT value of 0.51 at 773 K was achieved for the sample with x = 0.15%, increased by 24% compared with that of the SnSe matrix. These results demonstrate that optimizing the Cu2Se content can improve the thermoelectric performance of p-type SnSe polycrystalline materials.

Preparation and Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu2Se-SnSe Composite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Zhi; He, Danqi; Mu, Xin; Zhou, Hongyu; Li, Cuncheng; Ma, Shifang; Ji, Pengxia; Hou, Weikang; Wei, Ping; Zhu, Wanting; Nie, Xiaolei; Zhao, Wenyu

2018-06-01

A series of p-type xCu2Se-SnSe ( x = 0%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, and 0.25%) composite thermoelectric materials have been prepared by the combination of ultrasonic dispersion and spark plasma sintering methods. The effects of secondary phase Cu2Se on the phase composition, microstructure, and thermoelectric properties of the composites were investigated. Microstructure characterization and elemental maps indicated Cu2Se grains uniformly distributed on the boundaries of the matrix. Transport measurements demonstrated that enhancement of the power factor and reduction of the thermal conductivity can be realized simultaneously by optimizing the adding content of Cu2Se. The highest ZT value of 0.51 at 773 K was achieved for the sample with x = 0.15%, increased by 24% compared with that of the SnSe matrix. These results demonstrate that optimizing the Cu2Se content can improve the thermoelectric performance of p-type SnSe polycrystalline materials.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Polycrystalline SnSe via LaCl₃ Doping.

PubMed

Li, Fu; Wang, Wenting; Ge, Zhen-Hua; Zheng, Zhuanghao; Luo, Jingting; Fan, Ping; Li, Bo

2018-01-28

LaCl₃ doped polycrystalline SnSe was synthesized by combining mechanical alloying (MA) process with spark plasma sintering (SPS). It is found that the electrical conductivity is enhanced after doping due to the increased carrier concentration and carrier mobility, resulting in optimization of the power factor at 750 K combing with a large Seebeck coefficient over 300 Μvk -1 . Meanwhile, all the samples exhibit lower thermal conductivity below 1.0 W/mK in the whole measured temperature. The lattice thermal conductivity for the doped samples was reduced, which effectively suppressed the increscent of the total thermal conductivity because of the improved electrical conductivity. As a result, a ZT value of 0.55 has been achieved for the composition of SnSe-1.0 wt % LaCl₃ at 750 K, which is nearly four times higher than the undoped one and reveals that rare earth element is an effective dopant for optimization of the thermoelectric properties of SnSe.