Metal oxides for thermoelectric power generation

• Grant number: 20/02017-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: December 28, 2020
• End date: August 27, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Edson Roberto Leite
• Grantee: Leilane Roberta Macario
• Supervisor: Holger Kleinke
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Waterloo, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/08040-8 - Improvement of Thermoelectric Performance for Sb-Doped SnO2 Ceramics Material by Addition of MnO2 as Sintering Additive, BP.PD

Abstract

The thermoelectric effects allow the direct conversion between thermal and electrical energy, providing an alternative for power generation and cooling. The semiconductor materials currently used for the construction of thermoelectric generators have a high cost. There is a need to discover newly accessible materials that can replace them. A viable option would be oxide materials, as they can be handled in normal atmospheres and doped using other oxides. Oxides have been increasingly investigated for this purpose. In addition to having a lower cost compared to the materials that are currently being used, oxides have low toxicity, resist high temperatures and are available in relative abundance. The present project proposes to obtain and characterize the thermoelectric performance in ceramic oxides. This project will be subdivided into 2 parts: 1) thermoelectric characterization of bilayer pellets based on tin oxide obtained as proposed in the linked research project (process 2019/08040-8); 2) obtaining new pellets based on tin oxide, varying parameters in the synthesis method, to optimize thermoelectric performance. In parts 1 and 2, the ceramic oxide pellets to be analyzed will be produced via cold pressing followed by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The structure and composition of these materials will be analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The thermoelectric performances of the obtained ceramic oxides will be studied through the measures of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MACARIO, LEILANE R.; GOLABEK, ANDREW; KLEINKE, HOLGER; LEITE, EDSON R.. Thermoelectric properties of Sb-doped tin oxide by a one-step solid-state reaction. CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL, v. 48, n. 3, p. 3585-3591, FEB 1 2022. (20/02017-1, 19/08040-8, 13/07296-2)