IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v11y2020i1d10.1038_s41467-020-16508-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Electrode interface optimization advances conversion efficiency and stability of thermoelectric devices

Author

Listed:
  • Jing Chu

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jian Huang

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ruiheng Liu

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jincheng Liao

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xugui Xia

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qihao Zhang

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Chao Wang

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ming Gu

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shengqiang Bai

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xun Shi

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Lidong Chen

    (State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Although the CoSb3-based skutterudite thermoelectric devices have been highly expected for wide uses such as waste heat recovery and space power supply, the limited long-term service stability majorly determined by the degradation of electrode interface obstructs its applications. Here, we built up an effective criterion for screening barrier layer based on the combination of negative interfacial reaction energy and high activation energy barrier of Sb migration through the formed interfacial reaction layer. Accordingly, we predicted niobium as a promising barrier layer. The experimental results show the skutterudite/Nb joint has the slowest interfacial reaction layer growth rate and smallest interfacial electrical resistivity. The fabricated 8-pair skutterudite module using Nb as barrier layer achieves a recorded conversion efficiency of 10.2% at hot-side temperature of 872 K and shows excellent stability during long-time aging. This simple criterion provides an effective guidance on screening barrier layer with bonding-blocking-conducting synergetic functions for thermoelectric device integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Chu & Jian Huang & Ruiheng Liu & Jincheng Liao & Xugui Xia & Qihao Zhang & Chao Wang & Ming Gu & Shengqiang Bai & Xun Shi & Lidong Chen, 2020. "Electrode interface optimization advances conversion efficiency and stability of thermoelectric devices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16508-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16508-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16508-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-020-16508-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ruiheng Liu & Yunfei Xing & Jincheng Liao & Xugui Xia & Chao Wang & Chenxi Zhu & Fangfang Xu & Zhi-Gang Chen & Lidong Chen & Jian Huang & Shengqiang Bai, 2022. "Thermal-inert and ohmic-contact interface for high performance half-Heusler based thermoelectric generator," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Peng Li & Pengfei Qiu & Qing Xu & Jun Luo & Yifei Xiong & Jie Xiao & Niraj Aryal & Qiang Li & Lidong Chen & Xun Shi, 2022. "Colossal Nernst power factor in topological semimetal NbSb2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Li Yin & Xiaofang Li & Xin Bao & Jinxuan Cheng & Chen Chen & Zongwei Zhang & Xingjun Liu & Feng Cao & Jun Mao & Qian Zhang, 2024. "CALPHAD accelerated design of advanced full-Zintl thermoelectric device," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Kim, Seonggon & Ko, Yunmo & Lee, Geun Jeong & Lee, Jae Won & Xu, Ronghuan & Ahn, Hyungseop & Kang, Yong Tae, 2023. "Sustainable energy harvesting from post-combustion CO2 capture using amine-functionalized solvents," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    5. Yuntian Fu & Xin Ai & Zhongliang Hu & Shuhan Zhao & Xiaofang Lu & Jian Huang & Aibin Huang & Lianjun Wang & Qihao Zhang & Wan Jiang, 2024. "Interface kinetic manipulation enabling efficient and reliable Mg3Sb2 thermoelectrics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Jing, Hang & Xiang, Qingpei & Ze, Rende & Chen, Xiaoxi & Li, Jing & Liao, Jincheng & Bai, Shengqiang, 2023. "A skutterudite thermoelectric module with high aspect ratio applied to milliwatt radioisotope thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16508-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.