Discovery of new sustainable thermoelectric materials

该项目将涉及“发现新的可持续热电材料”。将要研究的系统将是ZnxTi1-xNiSb、ZnxTi1-xNiSn、ZnxTi1-xNiSbSn和TiNiSixGeySnz。根据结果可以调整系统，或者可以添加其他系统。这些材料将在高温炉中合成。起始材料将在惰性气体条件下装在手套箱中。将制备并密封玻璃安瓿。将进行热压和冷压的使用。对获得的样品进行分析将采用各种技术。首先，合成的样品必须用x射线和中子衍射等方法进行表征。当热电材料将温度梯度转换为电流时，热和电子输运性质是感兴趣的，并将进行分析。其目的是实现更可持续的材料。为了实现这一目标，应优化与温度相关的参数，即塞贝克系数、密度、导热系数、扩散系数和比热容。总的来说，我们的目标是一个更好的价值数字zT。

The project will deal with the "Discovery of new sustainable thermoelectric materials". The systems to be investigated will be ZnxTi1-xNiSb, ZnxTi1-xNiSn, ZnxTi1-xNiSbSn and TiNiSixGeySnz. Depending on the results thesystems can be adjusted, or other systems could be added.The materials will be synthesised at high temperatures in furnaces. The starting materials will be carried under inert gasconditions in a glove box. Glass ampoules will be prepared and sealed. Usage of hot- and cold-press will be carried out.Analysis of the obtained samples will be done with various techniques.First the synthesised samples must be characterised with usage of e.g x-ray and neutron diffraction methods. As thermoelectric materials convert a temperature gradient into an electrical current, the thermal and electronic transportproperties are of interest and will be analysed. The aim is to achieve a more sustainable material. To achieve this, temperature dependent parameters, i.e. Seebeck coefficientS, density , thermal conductivity and diffusivity and specific heat capacity , should be optimised. Overall the aim is a betterfigure of merit zT.