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The Promise of Nanocomposite Thermoelectric Materials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Mildred Dresselhaus ,
Gang Chen ,
Zhifeng Ren ,
Kenneth McEnaney ,
G. Dresselhaus  and
Jean-Pierre Fleurial
Mildred Dresselhaus
Affiliation:
millie@mgm.mit.edu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Gang Chen
Affiliation:
gchen2@mit.edu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Zhifeng Ren
Affiliation:
renzh@bc.edu, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States
Kenneth McEnaney
Affiliation:
mcenaney@mit.edu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
G. Dresselhaus
Affiliation:
gene@mgm.mit.edu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Jean-Pierre Fleurial
Affiliation:
jean-pierre.fleurial@jpl.nasa.gov, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, United States

Abstract

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The concept of using nanocomposite thermoelectric materials in bulk form for practical applications is presented. Laboratory studies have shown the possibilities of nanostructures to yield large reductions in the thermal conductivity while at the same time increasing the power factor. Theoretical studies have suggested that structural ordering in nano-systems is not necessary for the enhancement of ZT, leading to the idea of using nanocomposites as a practical scale-up technology for making bulk thermoelectric materials with enhanced ZT values. Specific examples are presented of nanocomposite thermoelectric materials developed by our group based on the familiar silicon germanium system, showing enhanced thermoelectric performance through nano-structuring.

Keywords

thermoelectricnanostructurethermoelectricity
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1166: Symposium N – Materials and Devices for Thermal-to-Electric Energy Conversion , 2009 , 1166-N02-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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