On the high temperature transport properties of thermoelectric oxides

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 208; no. 1; pp. 140 - 143
• Main Authors: Dragoe, Nita, Berardan, David, Byl, Celine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.01.2011; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Conductivity phenomena in semiconductors and insulators; defects; Electronic transport in condensed matter; Exact sciences and technology; high-temperature stability; oxides; Physics; Thermoelectric and thermomagnetic effects; thermoelectrics; Electrical conductivity; Silver Antimonates; Thermoelectric power; Aluminium additions; Doping; Silver oxide; Zinc oxide; Transport processes; High temperature; Gallium additions
• ISSN: 1862-6300; 1862-6319
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201026519

Thermoelectric modules have been the subject of recent scientific interest, in part due to their remarkable potential applications, such as waste heat recovery systems for automotive applications, industrial thermal power stations, etc. Based on their superior thermal stability in air, oxides have been considered the material of choice for these high temperature applications, even though they display reduced efficiency compared to semimetals. Here we show that oxides are rather unstable at high temperature and that severe changes can occur even during measurement of their physical properties. We propose that cycling measurements should be done when reporting high temperature transport properties of materials.