Bismuth Telluride/Half-Heusler Segmented Thermoelectric Unicouple Modules Provide 12% Conversion Efficiency

The rapid enhancement of the thermoelectric (TE) figure-of-merit (zT) in the past decade has opened opportunities for developing and transitioning solid state waste heat recovery systems. Here, a segmented TE device architecture is demonstrated in conjunction with heterogeneous material integration that results in high unicouple-level conversion efficiency of 12% under a temperature difference of 584 K. This breakthrough is the result of success in fabricating bismuth telluride/half-Heusler segmented TE unicouple modules using a “hot-to-cold” fabrication technique that provides significantly reduced electrical and thermal contact resistance. Extensive analytical and finite element modeling is conducted to provide an understanding of the nature of thermal transport and contributions arising from various thermal and physical parameters. Bismuth telluride/half-Heusler based segmented thermoelectric generators (TEGs) can provide higher practical temperature difference with optimum average zT across the whole operating range. These results will have immediate impact on the design and development of TEGs and in the general design of devices based upon heterostructures that take advantage of gradients in the figure of merit.

Files

Metadata

Work Title Bismuth Telluride/Half-Heusler Segmented Thermoelectric Unicouple Modules Provide 12% Conversion Efficiency
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Wenjie Li
  2. Bed Poudel
  3. Amin Nozariasbmarz
  4. Rammohan Sriramdas
  5. Hangtian Zhu
  6. Han Byul Kang
  7. Shashank Priya
Keyword
  1. Segmented
  2. Thermoelectric module
  3. Conversion efficiency
  4. Module fabrication
  5. Contact resistance
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Advanced Energy Materials
Publication Date August 13, 2020
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. 10.1002/aenm.202001924
Related URLs
Deposited July 19, 2023

Versions

Analytics

Collections

This resource is currently not in any collection.

Work History

Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Updated
  • Updated
  • Added Creator Wenjie Li
  • Added Creator Bed Poudel
  • Added Creator Amin Nozariasbmarz
  • Added Creator Rammohan Sriramdas
  • Added Creator Hangtian Zhu
  • Added Creator Han Byul Kang
  • Added Creator Shashank Priya
  • Added Accepted version.pdf
  • Updated License Show Changes
    License
    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
  • Published
  • Updated Work Title, Keyword, Publisher Show Changes
    Work Title
    • Bismuth Telluride/Half-Heusler Segmented Thermoelectric Unicouple Modules Provide 12% Conversion Efficiency
    • Bismuth Telluride/Half-Heusler Segmented Thermoelectric Unicouple Modules Provide 12% Conversion Efficiency
    Keyword
    • contact resistance, conversion segmented, thermoelectric modules
    • Segmented, Thermoelectric module, Conversion efficiency, Module fabrication, Contact resistance
    Publisher
    • Wiley
    • Advanced Energy Materials
  • Updated