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Silicon nanowires as efficient thermoelectric materials

Author

Listed:
  • Akram I. Boukai

    (MC 127-72, 1200 East California Blvd, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

  • Yuri Bunimovich

    (MC 127-72, 1200 East California Blvd, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

  • Jamil Tahir-Kheli

    (MC 127-72, 1200 East California Blvd, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

  • Jen-Kan Yu

    (MC 127-72, 1200 East California Blvd, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

  • William A. Goddard III

    (MC 127-72, 1200 East California Blvd, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

  • James R. Heath

    (MC 127-72, 1200 East California Blvd, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

Abstract

Silicon goes thermoelectric Thermoelectric materials, capable of converting a thermal gradient to an electric field and vice versa, could be useful in power generation and refrigeration. But the fabrication of the available high-performance thermoelectric materials is not easily scaled up to the volumes needed for large-scale heat energy scavenging applications. Nanostructuring improves thermoelectric capabilities of some materials, but good thermoelectric materials tend not to take readily to nanostructuring. How about silicon? It can be processed on a large scale but has poor thermoelectric properties. Two groups now show that silicon's thermoelectric properties can be vastly improved by structuring it into arrays of nanowires and carefully controlling nanowire morphology and doping. So with more development, silicon may have potential as a thermoelectric material.

Suggested Citation

  • Akram I. Boukai & Yuri Bunimovich & Jamil Tahir-Kheli & Jen-Kan Yu & William A. Goddard III & James R. Heath, 2008. "Silicon nanowires as efficient thermoelectric materials," Nature, Nature, vol. 451(7175), pages 168-171, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:451:y:2008:i:7175:d:10.1038_nature06458
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06458
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    Cited by:

    1. Massaguer, E. & Massaguer, A. & Montoro, L. & Gonzalez, J.R., 2014. "Development and validation of a new TRNSYS type for the simulation of thermoelectric generators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 65-74.
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    12. Gou, Xiaolong & Xiao, Heng & Yang, Suwen, 2010. "Modeling, experimental study and optimization on low-temperature waste heat thermoelectric generator system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(10), pages 3131-3136, October.
    13. Liang, Gaowei & Zhou, Jiemin & Huang, Xuezhang, 2011. "Analytical model of parallel thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 5193-5199.
    14. Dey, Abhijit & Bajpai, Om Prakash & Sikder, Arun K. & Chattopadhyay, Santanu & Shafeeuulla Khan, Md Abdul, 2016. "Recent advances in CNT/graphene based thermoelectric polymer nanocomposite: A proficient move towards waste energy harvesting," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 653-671.
    15. Karalis, George & Tzounis, Lazaros & Lambrou, Eleftherios & Gergidis, Leonidas N. & Paipetis, Alkiviadis S., 2019. "A carbon fiber thermoelectric generator integrated as a lamina within an 8-ply laminate epoxy composite: Efficient thermal energy harvesting by advanced structural materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    16. Song Lv & Zuoqin Qian & Dengyun Hu & Xiaoyuan Li & Wei He, 2020. "A Comprehensive Review of Strategies and Approaches for Enhancing the Performance of Thermoelectric Module," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-24, June.
    17. Chen, Wei-Hsin & Liao, Chen-Yeh & Hung, Chen-I & Huang, Wei-Lun, 2012. "Experimental study on thermoelectric modules for power generation at various operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 874-881.
    18. Guo, Juncheng & Zhang, Xiuqin & Su, Guozhen & Chen, Jincan, 2012. "The performance analysis of a micro-/nanoscaled quantum heat engine," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 391(24), pages 6432-6439.
    19. Martín-González, Marisol & Caballero-Calero, O. & Díaz-Chao, P., 2013. "Nanoengineering thermoelectrics for 21st century: Energy harvesting and other trends in the field," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 288-305.
    20. Wang, Junyi & Wang, Yuan & Su, Shanhe & Chen, Jincan, 2017. "Simulation design and performance evaluation of a thermoelectric refrigerator with inhomogeneously-doped nanomaterials," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 427-432.
    21. Wang, Yuchao & Dai, Chuanshan & Wang, Shixue, 2013. "Theoretical analysis of a thermoelectric generator using exhaust gas of vehicles as heat source," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1171-1180.
    22. Fitriani, & Ovik, R. & Long, B.D. & Barma, M.C. & Riaz, M. & Sabri, M.F.M. & Said, S.M. & Saidur, R., 2016. "A review on nanostructures of high-temperature thermoelectric materials for waste heat recovery," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 635-659.

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