Thermoelectric characteristics of the (Bi,Sb) 2(Te,Se) 3 nanocomposites processed with nanoparticle dispersion

• Published in: Ceramics international Vol. 38; pp. S529 - S533
• Main Authors: Kim, M.Y., Yeo, Y.H., Park, D.H., Oh, T.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2012
• Subjects: A. Hot pressing; Aluminum oxide; B. Nanocomposites; C. Thermal conductivity; C. Thermoelectric properties; Carbon nanotubes; Ceramics; Dispersions; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Thermoelectricity; A. Hot pressing; C. Thermoelectric properties; C. Thermal conductivity; B. Nanocomposites
• ISSN: 0272-8842; 1873-3956
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2011.05.069

The p-type (Bi 0.2Sb 0.8) 2Te 3 and the n-type Bi 2(Te 0.9Se 0.1) 3 thermoelectric nanocomposites were processed with dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and Al 2O 3 nanopowders. The lattice thermal conductivity κ ph of the p-type (Bi,Sb) 2Te 3 was effectively reduced from 0.64 W/m K to 0.45–0.54 W/m K by dispersion of carbon nanotubes. The room-temperature figure-of-merit of the p-type (Bi,Sb) 2Te 3 was improved from 3.37 × 10 −4/K to 3.52 × 10 −4/K with dispersion of 0.05 vol.% carbon nanotubes. The figure-of-merit of the n-type Bi 2(Te,Se) 3 at 75 °C was substantially improved from 2.9 × 10 −4/K to 3.5 × 10 −4/K with dispersion of 0.5 vol.% Al 2O 3 nanopowders.