High Performance Room Temperature Thermoelectric Oxide Materials by Controlling Nanostructure
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Materials
Abstract
The Seebeck effect is a thermoelectric effect whereby a temperature gradient across a material is converted to a voltage, which can be exploited for power generation. The growing concern over fossil fuels and carbon emissions has led to detailed reviews of all aspects of energy generation and routes to reduce consumption. Thermoelectric (TE) technology, utilising the direct conversion of waste heat into electric power, has emerged as a serious contender, particular for automotive and transport related applications. Thermoelectric power modules employ multiple pairs of n-type and p-type TE materials. Traditional metallic TE materials (such as Bi2Te3 and PbTe), have been available for 50 years, but are based on toxic materials over which there is increasing environmental concern. Furthermore Te is a rare and increasingly expensive element. In the past decade there has been growing interest in oxide thermoelectrics because their structures and chemistry can be readily modified (to adjust properties), they are stable under a wide variety of operating conditions and have encouraging thermoelectric properties. Whilst oxides are candidates for high temperature applications, they also have considerable potential as "room temperature" thermoelectrics (ambient to 200C) for a range of domestic applications as well as elements in multi-stage high temperature thermoelectric generators.
This investigation is concerned with understanding and improving the thermoelectric properties of Ti based oxide materials having mainly perovskite or spinel structures; targeted applications are for low temperatures (less than 200C). The conversion efficiency of thermoelectric materials is characterised by the figure of merit ZT (where T is temperature); ZT should be as high as possible. To maximise the Z value requires a high Seebeck coefficient (S), coupled with small thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity. In principle electrical conductivity can be adjusted by changes in cation/anion composition. The greater challenge is to concurrently reduce thermal conductivity. However in oxide ceramics the lattice conductivity dominates thermal transport since phonons are the main carriers of heat. This affords the basis for a range of strategies for reducing heat conduction; essentially microstructural engineering at the nanoscale to increase phonon scattering. The nanostructuring approaches will be: Self Assembly Nanostructures (by spinoidal decomposition), nanoparticles precipitation, and nanonetworks where the grain boundary conductivity is controlled. Independently, thermoelectric enhancement can also be achieved by substitution of dopants to adjust the electrical conductivity. By systematically investigating the effect of different nanostructuring strategies we will be able to understand the mechanisms controlling thermal and electron transport in thermoelectric oxides.
A key feature of the work is that we will adopt an integrated approach, combining the strengths of the UK and Japanese partners to address materials development, exploring nanostructuring strategies, investigating thermoelectric properties as a function of temperature, investigating the structures from the microstructure to the atom level, and preparing test modules from the best materials to evaluate their thermoelectric performance in power modules.
This investigation is concerned with understanding and improving the thermoelectric properties of Ti based oxide materials having mainly perovskite or spinel structures; targeted applications are for low temperatures (less than 200C). The conversion efficiency of thermoelectric materials is characterised by the figure of merit ZT (where T is temperature); ZT should be as high as possible. To maximise the Z value requires a high Seebeck coefficient (S), coupled with small thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity. In principle electrical conductivity can be adjusted by changes in cation/anion composition. The greater challenge is to concurrently reduce thermal conductivity. However in oxide ceramics the lattice conductivity dominates thermal transport since phonons are the main carriers of heat. This affords the basis for a range of strategies for reducing heat conduction; essentially microstructural engineering at the nanoscale to increase phonon scattering. The nanostructuring approaches will be: Self Assembly Nanostructures (by spinoidal decomposition), nanoparticles precipitation, and nanonetworks where the grain boundary conductivity is controlled. Independently, thermoelectric enhancement can also be achieved by substitution of dopants to adjust the electrical conductivity. By systematically investigating the effect of different nanostructuring strategies we will be able to understand the mechanisms controlling thermal and electron transport in thermoelectric oxides.
A key feature of the work is that we will adopt an integrated approach, combining the strengths of the UK and Japanese partners to address materials development, exploring nanostructuring strategies, investigating thermoelectric properties as a function of temperature, investigating the structures from the microstructure to the atom level, and preparing test modules from the best materials to evaluate their thermoelectric performance in power modules.
Planned Impact
The work will provide a foundation for the development and exploitation of room temperature (ambient to 200C) thermoelectric ceramics to generate energy via waste heat. The beneficiaries in the commercial sector are threefold: (i) ceramic manufacturers who will have new products, (ii) producers of energy management devices who will be able to develop new products for new markets, and (iii) users of thermoelectric modules, which will include domestic applications, as well as motor manufacturers, generating energy from waste heat. Policy makes will benefit from the research by knowledge of developments of environmentally friendly methods of energy generation and a way to help reduce the use of fossil fuels. There will be opportunities for museums with exhibits highlighting the principles of thermoelectric power generation and applications from automobiles to domestic environments. To the wider public there will be environmental benefits of utilising oxides in place toxic metal thermoelectrics and from the generation of energy from waste heat, leading to improved fuel consumption for automobiles and economic benefit to individuals and the UK. The research has the potential to impact the wealth and the economic competitiveness of the UK by the development of enhanced thermoelectric materials and power modules. For UK companies there will be new opportunities and new markets in the production of ceramics, the development of energy management systems, and exploitation of energy generation systems. All companies in the supply chain should become more competitive. With generation of power from waste heat in the automobile and other sectors there will be improved fuel consumption and the potential for reduction of imported oil to the UK, giving additional economic benefits. New thermoelectric power modules should be realised within 3-5 years, bringing benefits to companies in the supply chain within 3-7 years. The wider benefits of effective power generation and potential reduction of oil consumption should come within 5-10 years. The researchers working on the project will gain transferable skills in materials fabrication, microstructural and functional property characterisation, together with skills in report writing and critical analysis that will be of value in future employment. In addition to the collaborative partnership with Japan, we will establish links with UK industrial companies relevant to the supply chain, users of power generation modules, plus other academics in the field. Regular contact and news of developments will be circulated via electronic newsletters and a Workshop will be held in year 3 of the project. Non-confidential findings will be published on a project web page. Scientific and technological findings will be disseminated to the academic and industrial communities via presentations at major international conferences, including those of the International Thermoelectric Conference series, and high impact refereed publications.
With our collaborators in Japan we will jointly protect and exploit IP through the University of Manchester Technology Transfer Unit (UMIP) and the Research and Innovation Promotion Headquarters Department of AIST in Japan. The Manchester applicants (RF, CAL) have over twenty five years experience of investigating structure-property relationships in electroceramics, including thermoelectric materials. With established academic and industrial collaborators we have the necessary expertise and facilities to successfully undertake the programme of work.
With our collaborators in Japan we will jointly protect and exploit IP through the University of Manchester Technology Transfer Unit (UMIP) and the Research and Innovation Promotion Headquarters Department of AIST in Japan. The Manchester applicants (RF, CAL) have over twenty five years experience of investigating structure-property relationships in electroceramics, including thermoelectric materials. With established academic and industrial collaborators we have the necessary expertise and facilities to successfully undertake the programme of work.
People |
ORCID iD |
Robert Freer (Principal Investigator) | |
Colin Leach (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Azough F
(2019)
Self-Nanostructuring in SrTiO3: A Novel Strategy for Enhancement of Thermoelectric Response in Oxides.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Azough F
(2017)
Concurrent La and A-Site Vacancy Doping Modulates the Thermoelectric Response of SrTiO3: Experimental and Computational Evidence.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Lin Y
(2015)
Thermoelectric Power Generation from Lanthanum Strontium Titanium Oxide at Room Temperature through the Addition of Graphene.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Lin Y
(2020)
Graphene/Strontium Titanate: Approaching Single Crystal-Like Charge Transport in Polycrystalline Oxide Perovskite Nanocomposites through Grain Boundary Engineering
in Advanced Functional Materials
Baran J
(2016)
Role of Structure and Defect Chemistry in High-Performance Thermoelectric Bismuth Strontium Cobalt Oxides
in Chemistry of Materials
Azough F
(2015)
On the Origin of Nanochessboard Superlattices in A-Site-Deficient Ca-Stabilized Nd 2/3 TiO 3
in Chemistry of Materials
Azough F
(2016)
Tungsten Bronze Barium Neodymium Titanate (Ba(6-3n)Nd(8+2n)Ti(18)O(54)): An Intrinsic Nanostructured Material and Its Defect Distribution.
in Inorganic chemistry
Kepaptsoglou D
(2018)
Prospects for Engineering Thermoelectric Properties in La1/3NbO3 Ceramics Revealed via Atomic-Level Characterization and Modeling.
in Inorganic chemistry
Molinari M
(2014)
Structural, electronic and thermoelectric behaviour of CaMnO 3 and CaMnO (3-d)
in J. Mater. Chem. A
Alvarez -Ruiz D
(2018)
Utilising unit-cell twinning operators to reduce lattice thermal conductivity in modular structures: Structure and thermoelectric properties of Ga2O3(ZnO)9
in Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Description | Improved perovskite thermoelectric oxides with superior performance; higher thermoelectric Figure of Merit leading to higher power outputs |
Exploitation Route | Manufacture of thermoelectric materials and modules to generate power from waste heat |
Sectors | Electronics Energy |
Description | Development of new and improved oxide thermoelectrics for power generation from waste heat. |
First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
Sector | Energy |
Description | MISE Functional Materials Network |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of St Andrews |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 08/2018 |
Description | AIST Japan |
Organisation | National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Elecctron microscopy of thermoelectric materials |
Collaborator Contribution | Development of new thermoelectric materials |
Impact | Papers |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | SuperSTEM |
Organisation | Daresbury Laboratory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Development of novel thermoelectrics |
Collaborator Contribution | Atom level electron microscopy |
Impact | publications |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | ACerS MCARE Conference Vancouver Canada August 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ACerS MCARE International Conference on Energy Materials; 700 delegates |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Annual MASSIVE Research Workshop on Environmetally Friendly Energy Materials - Weston Super Mere UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Annual MASSIVE Research Workshop on Environmetally Friendly Energy Materials - 80 peolple attended; research presentations over two days; invited talks from industry. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | CLOSELOOP Energy Materials Workshop, Helsinki Finland November 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | CLOSELOOP Energy Materials Workshop, concerned with environmentally friendly materials, 75 delegates |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Energy Materials Network Workshop, Edinburgh, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One day international research workshop reviewing developments in energy materials and their applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | European Ceramic Society conference Turin Italy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Exchange of research activities between over 500 researchers in technical ceramics |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.ecers2019.org/ |
Description | India-UK Thermoelectric Workshop, India Bangalore |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Thre day international research workshop reviewing developments in thermoelectric materials and their applications. Explored possible bids for international collaboration |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | International Conference on Thermoelectrics, Caen France July 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | International conference thermoelectrics; 600 delegates, presentations over 5 days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | International Thermoelectric Conference Korea |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | International conference about energy materials |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | http://www.its.org/content/ict2019-38th-international-conference-thermoelectrics |
Description | MISE Functional Materials workshop Birmingham UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | MISE Functional Materials workshop; 70 delegates |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Novel Energy Materials Workshop - lLverpool UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Series of presentations on Novel Energy Materials - 60 people attended; Liverpool University |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | PacRim International Conference Hawaii USA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | PacRim International Conference Hawaii USA; session concerned with energy materials |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Royal Society Discussion Meeting on Energy Materials Buckinhamshire UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Royal Society Discussion Meeting on Energy Materials; 80 delegates |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Meeting in Edinburgh UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One day workshop on thermoelectric energy materials and devices - EPSRC Thermoelectric Network |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, Edinburgh, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One day international research workshop reviewing developments in thermoelectric materials and their applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/home.html |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, Glasgow UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One day workshop on progress in thermoelectric materials and their applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/home.html |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, Manchester, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Series of presentations by specialist on thermoelectrics defining the status of the field and needs for future development |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/home.html |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, Manchester, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Two day international research workshop reviewing developments in thermoelectric materials and their applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/home.html |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, NPL Teddington, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | One day workshop on research developments in thermoelectrics, and one day training event on measurement techniques for thermoelectrics |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/home.html |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, Reading UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | One day workshop on techniques and applications in thermoelectrics, followed by one day Trainng Event for younger workers - theme of modelling in Thermoelectrcs |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, Southamton, UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | One day international research workshop reviewing developments in thermoelectric materials and their applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Thermoelectric Network Workshop, loughborough UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Series of presentations by specialist on thermoelectrics concerned with engineering applications. Training event for postgraduate students and young researchers concerned with use of thermoelectrics for automotive applications |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/home.html |
Description | Thermoelectric Network meeting London UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Thermoelectric network meeting for exchange of reseach information between researchers in energy materials |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | http://www.thermoelectricnetwork.com/past-meetings-2019.html |