Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials

Thermoelectric devices, converting thermal energy into electrical energy or electrical into thermal energy, offer inherent advantages such as reliability, simplicity, flexibility, quietness, and environmental benigness. The efficiency of the thermal/electrical transformation is determined by the figures-of-the-merit ZT of the thermoelectric materials at a given service temperature. Currently-used thermoelectric materials have ZT ¿1, limiting the efficiency of the energy transform (typically less than 5%) and thus the applications of thermoelectric materials and devices. Nanomaterials Research Corporation (NRC) proposes to develop high performance thermoelectric materials with ZT >> 1. With the engineered nanostructures, the proposed thermoelectric materials will have significantly low thermal conductivity, improved Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, thus leading to a drastic increase of the figure-of-the-merit. Phase I will establish the proof-of-concept. Phase II will seek optimization ofthe materials design and process, and fabrication of prototype thermoelectric devices from the novel thermoelectric material. Phase III will commercialize the technology.