Grain Boundary Complexions Enable a Simultaneous Optimization of Electron and Phonon Transport Leading to High‐Performance GeTe Thermoelectric Devices
Advanced Energy Materials, vol. 13
Abstract
Abstract Grain boundaries (GBs) form ubiquitous microstructures in polycrystalline materials which play a significant role in tuning the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). However, it is still unknown which types of GB features are beneficial for thermoelectrics due to the challenge of correlating complex GB microstructures with transport properties. Here, it is demonstrated that GB complexions formed by Ga segregation in GeTe‐based alloys can optimize electron and phonon transport simultaneously. The Ga‐rich complexions increase the power factor by reducing the GB resistivity with slightly improved Seebeck coefficients. Simultaneously, they lower the lattice thermal conductivity by strengthening the phonon scattering. In contrast, Ga2Te3 precipitates at GBs act as barriers to scatter both phonons and electrons and are thus unable to improve ZT. Tailoring GBs combined with the beneficial alloying effects of Sb and Pb enables a peak ZT of ≈2.1 at 773 K and an average ZT of 1.3 within 300–723 K for Ge0.78Ga0.01Pb0.1Sb0.07Te. The corresponding thermoelectric device fabricated using 18‐pair p‐n legs shows a power density of 1.29 W cm−2 at a temperature difference of 476 K. This work indicates that GB complexions can be a facile way to optimize electron and phonon transport, further advancing thermoelectric materials.
Authors 11
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Chaohua Zhang corresponding
Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Shenzhen University · Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials
Affiliation as printed
College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 P. R. China
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Institute of Deep Underground Sciences and Green Energy, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 P. R. China
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Physics (IA) RWTH Aachen University Sommerfeldstraße 14 52074 Aachen Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Physics (IA) RWTH Aachen University Sommerfeldstraße 14 52074 Aachen Germany
Peter Grünberg Institute—JARA‐Institute Energy‐Efficient Information Technology (PGI‐10) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52428 Jülich Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Materials Science and Engineering Northwestern University Evanston IL 60208 USA
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208 USA
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Physics (IA) RWTH Aachen University Sommerfeldstraße 14 52074 Aachen Germany
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