Nanostructured Titanate Thermoelectrics for Energy Applications

Thermoelectrics are of growing interest to generate power from waste heat in automotive, industrial, medical and domestic environments. Traditional thermoelectrics are based on elements which are heavy, in short supply and not environmentally friendly. Oxide thermoelectrics have the potential to overcome all these limitations and find use in both established and novel application areas. Titanates, including perovskites based on SrTiO3, show considerable potential. The project will focus on nanostructuring of titanate oxide ceramics to reduce thermal conductivity and doping to increase electrical conductivity, in order to enhance thermoelectric performance. Particular attention will be paid to the role of interfaces. The work will involve preparation of high quality ceramics in order to understanding the relationships between composition, microstructure and thermoelectric properties.