Thermal Fatigue and Waste Heat Recovery via Thermoelectrics

Case, Eldon D.

doi:10.1007/s11664-012-2083-9

Cited by 55 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The durability of TEGs in terrestrial applications such as automotive exhaust waste heat recovery is still a major issue, whereas in space mission applications thermoelectric generators have proven their reliability over decades of operation [1][2][3][4][5]. Durability issues are partly due to mechanical and thermomechanical stresses arising from external mechanical loads like vibrations as well as fast changing thermal conditions on the hot and cold side and mismatches in the coefficients of thermal expansion [5,6]. Besides failure of the contact between thermoelectric material and metal bridge a fracture of the thermoelectric leg itself is a major concern.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Its advantages are the good availability of p-and n-type material and thermoelectric figures of merit ZT around 2.0 which is among the highest of all know thermoelectric materials [13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Still the mechanical properties of PbTe are a major drawback: PbTe has a very high coefficient of thermal expansion around 2 9 10 -5 K -1 [5,20,21], increasing the issue of thermal expansion-related stresses. Furthermore, lead telluride is rather soft and brittle with low fracture strength compared to for example skutterudites [22][23][24][25][26][27][28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tailoring the mechanical properties of thermoelectric lead telluride by alloying with non-doping calcium

et al. 2016

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Thermoelectric generators have a great potential in waste heat recovery and energy harvesting due to their principle of directly converting thermal into electrical energy. Despite a long history in space travel and a broad range of potential applications, TEGs are rarely found in terrestrial applications. Reasons are manufacturing problems and limited durability in dynamic operation conditions due to deficient mechanical properties of the thermoelectric materials, which often suffer from low strength and high brittleness. We present a concept for the basically independent tailoring of mechanical and thermoelectric properties. This can be achieved by the alloying of TE materials with additional elements having preferably no or only little influence on the TE properties. We demonstrate a route of improving the mechanical properties of PbTe by alloying with calcium. It is shown that calcium has minor effects on the thermoelectric properties of PbTe while significantly increasing hardness and fracture strength. As proof of concept, mechanically more stable sodium and calcium co-doped Pb 0.966 Ca 0.02 Na 0.014 Te with ZT exceeding 1.2 above 650 K is demonstrated.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tailoring the mechanical properties of thermoelectric lead telluride by alloying with non-doping calcium

et al. 2016

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“…[1][2][3][4][5] However, most TE materials are brittle in nature with low fracture strength and toughness. 6 Poor mechanical performance leads to difficulties in manufacturing and can also result in TE device failure in field applications. Therefore, improving mechanical properties of TE materials is highly desired.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermoelectric and mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube doped Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 thermoelectric material

Ren¹,

Wang²,

A³

et al. 2013

Applied Physics Letters

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Since many thermoelectrics are brittle in nature with low mechanical strength, improving their mechanical properties is important to fabricate devices such as thermoelectric power generators and coolers. In this work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated into polycrystalline Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 through powder processing, which increased the flexural strength from 32 MPa to 90 MPa. Electrical and thermal conductivities were both reduced in the CNT containing materials, leading to unchanged figure of merit. Dynamic Young's and shear moduli of the composites were lower than the base material, while the Poisson's ratio was not affected by CNT doping.

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“…Although in this study, an increased porosity leads to decreases in the elastic moduli, an increase in porosity also has the potential to increase the resistance to thermal fatigue damage [18,19], which is important due to the inevitable thermal cycling that thermoelectrics are subjected to during waste heat harvesting. In addition to affecting mechanical properties, porosity also impacts transport properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…Proposed mechanisms for an increasing or constant K C with increasing porosity include crack-pore interactions, where pores can blunt or deflect a growing crack [18,19].…”

Section: Hardness and Fracture Toughness As Function Of Porositymentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of silver nanoparticle addition, porosity, and processing technique on the mechanical properties of Ba0.3Co4Sb12 skutterudites

et al. 2014

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The thermoelectric skutterudite Ba 0.3 Co 4 Sb 12 is a promising candidate for waste heat recovery applications. Recently, it was demonstrated that the addition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NP ) to Ba 0.3 Co 4 Sb 12 increases both the thermoelectric figure of merit and electrical conductivity. This study is the first to examine the effect of Ag NP addition on the material's mechanical properties. This study also found that the Young's modulus, E, shear modulus, G, and bulk modulus, B, decreased linearly with increasing volume fraction porosity, P. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was employed to measure the elastic moduli, and Vickers indentation was used to determine the hardness, H, and fracture toughness, K C . Trends in the mechanical properties as a function of grain size, porosity, and the Ag NP are discussed in terms of the pertinent literature. While K C was independent of Ag NP addition, porosity, and grain size, both E and H decreased linearly with increasing porosity. In addition, this study is the first to identify (i) the Ag 3 Sb phase formed and (ii) the enhanced densification that occurs when the Ag NP is sintered with Ba 0.3 Co 4 Sb 12 powders, where both effects are consistent with the eutectic and peritectic reactions observed in the binary phase diagram Ag-Sb. These eutectic/peritectic reactions may also be linked to the enhancement of electrical conductivity previously observed when Ag is added to Ba 0.3 Co 4 Sb 12 . Also, similar beneficial eutectic/peritectic reactions may be available for other systems where conductive particles are added to other antimonides or other thermoelectric systems.

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Thermal Fatigue and Waste Heat Recovery via Thermoelectrics

Cited by 55 publications

References 43 publications

Tailoring the mechanical properties of thermoelectric lead telluride by alloying with non-doping calcium

Tailoring the mechanical properties of thermoelectric lead telluride by alloying with non-doping calcium

Thermoelectric and mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube doped Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 thermoelectric material

Influence of silver nanoparticle addition, porosity, and processing technique on the mechanical properties of Ba0.3Co4Sb12 skutterudites

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