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Leveraging bipolar effect to enhance transverse thermoelectricity in semimetal Mg2Pb for cryogenic heat pumping

Author

Listed:
  • Zhiwei Chen

    (Tongji University
    Tongji University)

  • Xinyue Zhang

    (Tongji University)

  • Jie Ren

    (Tongji University)

  • Zezhu Zeng

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Yue Chen

    (The University of Hong Kong)

  • Jian He

    (Clemson University)

  • Lidong Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yanzhong Pei

    (Tongji University)

Abstract

Toward high-performance thermoelectric energy conversion, the electrons and holes must work jointly like two wheels of a cart: if not longitudinally, then transversely. The bipolar effect — the main performance restriction in the traditional longitudinal thermoelectricity, can be manipulated to be a performance enhancer in the transverse thermoelectricity. Here, we demonstrate this idea in semimetal Mg2Pb. At 30 K, a giant transverse thermoelectric power factor as high as 400 μWcm−1K−2 is achieved, a 3 orders-of-magnitude enhancement than the longitudinal configuration. The resultant specific heat pumping power is ~ 1 Wg−1, higher than those of existing techniques at 10~100 K. A large number of semimetals and narrow-gap semiconductors making poor longitudinal thermoelectrics due to severe bipolar effect are thus revived to fill the conspicuous gap of thermoelectric materials for solid-state applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhiwei Chen & Xinyue Zhang & Jie Ren & Zezhu Zeng & Yue Chen & Jian He & Lidong Chen & Yanzhong Pei, 2021. "Leveraging bipolar effect to enhance transverse thermoelectricity in semimetal Mg2Pb for cryogenic heat pumping," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24161-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24161-1
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.

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