Bismuth Telluride Research Articles

Optimizing the performance of Bi2Te3 TECs through numerical simulations using COMSOL multiphysics

Manufacturers need to determine the best geometries for thermoelectric coolers (TECs) to achieve optimal performance. In this study, we employed the COMSOL Multiphysics software to simulate the performance enhancement of Bi2Te3 TEC. The TEC is constructed with alumina (Al2O3), copper (Cu), and bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) materials. In particular, Al2O3 acts as an electric insulator for the top and bottom layers, Cu functions as a conductor, and Bi2Te3 serves as the p- and n-type thermoelectric (TE) legs between the Cu layers. The study examined how different TE leg heights (1.5 mm, 2 mm, and 2.5 mm) and shapes (square and rectangular) affected the TEC's performance. It looked at various factors, such as temperature gradient, electric potential, normalized current density, and total net energy rate. Additionally, the thickness effects of the insulator, conductor, and the TE leg pitch of the TEC have also been investigated. According to the obtained results, it has been determined that the square type of leg geometry has provided the best performance among the tested geometries, and it has been recommended that its leg geometry be 1.00 mm × 1.00 mm × 1.5 mm, the thickness be 0.375 mm for Al2O3 and 0.125 mm for Cu, and the pitch be 0.50 mm, as they are expected to yield satisfactory performance. The research study involved obtaining performance parameters for 18 TE elements utilized in the fabrication of TEC. The TEC-simulated results revealed the following performance metrics: ΔTmax = 73.94 K, Umax = 2.52 V, Imax = 3.00 A, Qmax = 4.42 W, R = 0.84 Ω, and Z = 0.002377 1/K.

Hierarchical nano-/micro-architecture phonon scattering of p-type Bismuth telluride bulk composites with Ag-TiO2 nano particles synthesized by fluidized bed spray coating method

We optimize the thermoelectric (TE) properties by minimizing thermal conductivity utilizing by hierarchical phonon scattering from long to mid wavelength of phonon in p-type Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3.4 (BST) composite with nano Ag-coated TiO2 (Ag/TiO2). We employed an Ag nano particle (20 nm) modulation into TiO2 (500 nm) particles by spray coating method and dispersed in a p-type Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3.4 (BST), giving rise to a hierarchical architecture from nano to micro scale. The nano particle modulation of Ag/TiO2 particles decreases grain sizes of p-type BST matrix. The hierarchical structure of modulating nano particles and small grain sizes of the matrix significantly decreases lattice thermal conductivity due to wide range of wavelength phonon scattering, resulting in the enhancement of thermoelectric performance over a large temperature range. The maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit zT value reaches to 1.28 for 0.9 wt% Ag/TiO2 modulation doping, which is superior to the other reported ones. The optimized modulating Ag/TiO2 nano-particle dispersion effectively maintains the valence band structure while concurrently mitigating the scattering of charge carriers. Therefore, the nano particle modulation by spray coating method is an effective way to manifest hierarchical architecture from nano to micro-scale phonon scattering, which can be applied in thermoelectric materials design and process.

Feasibility study on radioisotope-powered thermophotovoltaic/thermoelectric hybrid power generation system used in deep-sea: From design to experiment

This study aims to comprehensively examine the feasibility of a hybrid power generation system that integrates solar and thermoelectric technologies, with a focus on utilizing a radioisotope heat source (RHU) for deep-sea applications. The investigation encompasses the whole design process as well as rigorous testing procedures. The self-designed coupling device establishes a connection between the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell and the bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) thermoelectric modules (TEMs), therefore creating a photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) hybrid system. The measuring platform incorporates the system to investigate the influence of varying light intensity (ranging from 400 to 1600 W/m2) on the electrical properties of the system, specifically focusing on three subgroups of PV cell temperature (20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C). The findings suggest that the enhanced performance of the photovoltaic (PV) cell and thermoelectric modules (TEMs) under identical PV cell temperatures may lead to an improvement in the electrical performance of the system due to variations in light intensity. Nevertheless, when the temperature of the photovoltaic (PV) cell increases, there is a gradual decline in the growth rate of the output power. The subsequent research provide evidence that there exist discrete mechanisms responsible for the reduction in intensity between thermoelectric modules (TEMs) and photovoltaic (PV) cells. The processes arise due to the impact of thermal effect on the photovoltaic materials and the increased temperature difference between hot and cold junctions of the thermoelectric modules (TEMs), respectively. Furthermore, a control group is incorporated by calculating the performance of the hybrid system under the same operating conditions as the single thermoelectric (S-TE) system. According to a comparative analysis comparing the Radioisotope Thermal-Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric (RTPV-TE) hybrid power production systems and the S-TE system, it has been shown that the former exhibits a potential increase in output power of up to 271% while operating under identical conditions. This work offers insights and methodologies for the design and measurement of RTPV-TE hybrid power generating systems in engineering application situations.

PREPARATION AND THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF Cux/Bi2Te3 COMPOSITES

Thermoelectric materials are the use of solid internal carriers to realize mutual conversion between thermal energy to electrical energy. Bismuth telluride (Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub>) based thermoelectric materials are relatively mature near low temperatures. Due to the excellent conductivity of copper, the method of combining copper with a thermoelectric matrix to produce thermoelectric composite materials with better thermoelectric properties has always been a research focus in thermoelectric composite materials. Bismuth telluride thermoelectric composite materials (Cu<sub>x</sub>/Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub>) samples with different mass percentages of purity (Cu) powder were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The influences of the Cu with different incorporation ratios on the performance of Cu<sub>x</sub>/Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub> thermoelectric composites were investigated, such as differential thermal conductivity, thermal conductivity, Seeback coefficient, and ZT values. The Cu<sub>x</sub>/Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub> thermoelectric composites with Cu chemical composition of 0.005 exhibited excellent Seebeck coefficients and ZT value at the heat source temperature of 325 K. The values are -289.46 μV/K and 1.69, respectively. The value of ZT is improved by about 2 times, compared with Bismuth telluride Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub> thermoelectric materials.

ТИПОМОРФНЫЕ ПРИЗНАКИ САМОРОДНОГО ЗОЛОТА РОССЫПИ РЧ. ЛЕВЫЙ УЛАХАН ХАПТАСЫННААХ И ЕГО ВЕРОЯТНЫЕ КОРЕННЫЕ ИСТОЧНИКИ (АНАБАРСКИЙ ЩИТ)

The paper deals with studied typomorphic features of placer gold of the Left Ulakhan Haptasynnakh River, drainage rocks of the central Billakhskaya tectonofluid zone of the Anabar Shield, aimed at identifying its indicator signs and probable indigenous sources. The predominance of poorly rounded, mainly angular-cloddy individuals with rough pitted-lumpy surface, often with coatings of variable aluminosilicate composition, with small accretions of quartz and potassium feldspar, as well as a fraction >0.5 mm to 40% allowed the studied gold to be attributed to the autochthonous type. The study of nearby sulphidized rocks of the Haptasynnaakh zone showed that an ore mineralization is represented by a variety of mineral forms. The main ore mineral is pyrite. A wide range of telluride minerals was identified with predominance of silver and bismuth tellurides. For the first time, medium-high-grade gold of lamellar and rod-shaped forms was distinguished from crushed samples of mineralized rocks. Comparative analysis of the mineral inclusions composition in poorly rounded placer gold with a wide variation in gold fineness of the Left Ulakhan Haptasynnaakh and mineral parageneses of ores of the Haptasynnaakh ore zone allows researchers to assert that the zone ore manifestations are indigenous sources of the studied gold. The discovery of gold with an ore appearance of fraction >0.5 mm in the placer suggests the presence of mineralization of its coarser fractions in relatively deep horizons. This fact determines positive prospects for further study of the territory.

High density lath twins lead to high thermoelectric conversion efficiency in Bi2Te3 modules.

Thermoelectric (TE) generators based on bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) are recognized as a credible solution for low-grade heat harvesting. In this study, an combinative doping strategy of both the donor (Ag) and the acceptor (Ga) in Ag9GaTe6 as dopants is developed to modulate the microstructure and improve the ZT value of p-type Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3. Specifically, the distribution of Ag and Ga in the matrix synergistically introduces multiple phonon scattering centers including lath twins, triple junction boundaries, and Sb-rich nanoprecipitates, leading to an obviously suppressed lattice thermal conductivity of 0.50 W m-1 K-1 at 300 K. At the same time, such unique microstructures of lath twins synergistically enhance the room-temperature power factor to 48.8 μW cm-1 K-2 and improve the Vickers hardness to 0.90 GPa. Consequently, a high ZT of 1.40 at 350 K and ZTave of 1.24 (300-500 K) are achieved in the Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 + 0.03 wt% Ag9GaTe6 sample. Based on that, a competitive conversion efficiency of 6.5% at ΔT = 200 K is obtained in the constructed 17-couple TE module, which exhibits no significant change in the output property after 30 thermal cycle tests benefiting from the stable microstructure.

Nanoconfinement of ultra-small Bi2Te3 nanocrystals on reduced graphene oxide: a pathway to high-performance sodium-ion battery anodes.

Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention owing to their intriguing physicochemical properties and wide-ranging potential applications arising from their distinctive layered structure and nanoscale size effects. However, synthesizing sub-100 nm ultra-small Bi2Te3 nanocrystals remains a formidable challenge. To date, there has been little investigation on the performance of these ultra-small Bi2Te3 nanocrystals in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). This study presents a general strategy for synthesizing ultra-small Bi2Te3 nanocrystals on reduced graphene oxide (Bi2Te3/rGO) through a nanoconfinement approach. First-principles calculations and electrochemical kinetic studies confirm that the ultra-small Bi2Te3/rGO composite material can effectively mitigate volumetric expansion, preserve electrode integrity, and enhance electron transfer, Na-ion adsorption, and diffusion capacity. As a result, the Bi2Te3/rGO electrode demonstrates a remarkable initial specific capacity of 521 mA h g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, showcasing outstanding rate behaviour and long-lasting cycle life exceeding 800 cycles at 1 A g-1 while preserving exceptional rate properties. The function of the battery is indicated by ex situ TEM and XPS findings, which propose a conventional dual mechanism involving conversion and alloying. This work paves the way for rapid advancements in Bi2Te3-based SIB anodes while contributing to our understanding of sodium ion storage mechanisms.

Bismuth telluride solid solutions based on doped with graphene

Bismuth telluride solid solutions based on doped with graphene

New Thermoelectric Material and Devices: Naphthol[1,3]oxazine and the Performance Compared with Bismuth Telluride

New Thermoelectric Material and Devices: Naphthol[1,3]oxazine and the Performance Compared with Bismuth Telluride

A comparative performance analysis of thermoelectric generators with a novel leg geometries

Thermoelectric (TE) devices utilize the Seebeck effect to produce electricity from waste heat. The optimization of TE leg geometry and its structure has lately drawn more attention to improving TE power generators. This study uses the finite element method to examine thermoelectric generators' thermal reliability and performance (TEGs) for novel TE leg designs. New leg shapes, such as a cross-vertical and butterfly, are introduced and contrasted with the squared (conventional) leg and other leg shapes, such as trapezoidal, cross-horizontal, I-shaped, X-shaped, and Y-shaped. The design of the main geometric parameters, including structure, height, volume, and surface area of the thermoelectric leg, is discussed in detail. As the TE leg has a larger heated surface area, the results demonstrate that the cross-vertical and butterfly legs perform 39.2% and 30.4%, respectively, higher than the squared (conventional) shape. However, the square-shaped leg shows the least thermal stress compared to other designs, especially at high thermal gradients. For low-temperature gradients (Th < 100 °C), the new TE leg designs of the cross-vertical and butterfly structures exhibit thermal stresses below the yield stress of bismuth telluride, indicating that their use is suitable for upcoming low-temperature gradient thermoelectric system applications.

Kirigami-inspired organic and inorganic film-based flexible thermoelectric devices with built-in heat sink

Thermoelectric (TE) devices can convert heat to electricity directly, which offers a unique opportunity to realize waste heat recovery. However, conventional TE devices inevitably use heat sinks, which are bulky, rigid and heavy, limiting practical applications. Herein, we propose a fully integrated film-based TE device with intrinsically built-in fins as heat sink in a hexagonal honeycomb device structure, that simultaneously achieves high TE performance and conformability, as confirmed by experiments and modelling. A flexible Kapton substrate with copper electrodes, integrating either carbon nanotube (CNT) veils or bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) TE ‘legs’, both of n- and p-type, achieved a remarkable specific power of 185.4 nW K−2 for a Bi2Te3-based device and 53.1 nW K−2 for a CNT-based device, thanks to the heat dissipation effect granted by the built-in fins. Besides, the addition of oriented polymer films interconnects, contracting when above their glass transition temperature, allowed a single substrate two-dimensional (2D) TE device to self-fold into a three-dimensional (3D) hexagonal honeycomb structure, with built-in fins, contactlessly and autonomously. The demonstrated shape-programmed kirigami-inspired scalable TE device paves the way for realising self-powered applications comprising hundreds of TE legs with both inorganic (e.g., Bi2Te3) and organic (e.g. CNT veils) TE materials and integrated heat sinks.

Performance boost for bismuth telluride thermoelectric generator via barrier layer based on low Young’s modulus and particle sliding

The lack of desirable diffusion barrier layers currently prohibits the long-term stable service of bismuth telluride thermoelectric devices in low-grade waste heat recovery. Here we propose a new design principle of barrier layers beyond the thermal expansion matching criterion. A titanium barrier layer with loose structure is optimized, in which the low Young’s modulus and particle sliding synergistically alleviates interfacial stress, while the TiTe2 reactant enables metallurgical bonding and ohmic contact between the barrier layer and the thermoelectric material, leading to a desirable interface characterized by high-thermostability, high-strength, and low-resistivity. Highly competitive conversion efficiency of 6.2% and power density of 0.51 W cm−2 are achieved for a module with leg length of 2 mm at the hot-side temperature of 523 K, and no degradation is observed following operation for 360 h, a record for stable service at this temperature, paving the way for its application in low-grade waste heat recovery.

Extremely Low Contact Resistivity of Bi2Te3-Based Modules Enabled by NiP-Based Alloy Barrier.

Electrode diffusion barrier plays an important role in thermoelectric cooling devices. Compared with p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3, the compatibility between commercial Ni barrier and n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 is a key bottleneck to enhance the performance of Bi2Te3-based cooling devices. This paper proposed a NiP alloy barrier to improve the compatibility with n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3, and systemically investigated the contact and interfacial dynamics properties. Due to the low diffusion rate of NiP alloy, the initial interfacial contact resistivity of Bi2Te2.7Se0.3/NiP is as low as 0.90 μΩ cm2, and it further can be depressed below 1.98 μΩ cm2 even after aging at 423 K for 35 days, indicating the superior thermal stability of the NiP barrier layer compared to the commercial Ni barrier layer. Based on the NiP barrier, a 15-pair bismuth telluride device is prepared and a high cooling temperature difference of 71.5 K at a hot-side temperature of 304 K is achieved, which proves the practical applications potential of NiP barrier for Bi2Te3-based modules.

Synthesis, Structure, and Thermoelectric Properties of Holmium-Doped Nanomaterials Based on Bismuth Telluride

Synthesis, Structure, and Thermoelectric Properties of Holmium-Doped Nanomaterials Based on Bismuth Telluride

Measurements of electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient for disc-shaped samples

Herein we develop a methodology to measure the resistivity of discs by deriving a mathematic formula between resistivity and resistance from solving the electrostatic Laplace equation in polar coordinates. Then the resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of disc samples of p- and n-type bismuth telluride are measured experimentally either in nitrogen or helium atmosphere. The validity of Seebeck coefficient is demonstrated by the excellent linearity between Seebeck voltages and temperature differences. The bar samples are also measured for comparison. Finite element simulation is utilized to display the two-dimensional potentials and currents and have an error analysis. Furthermore, the resistivity error due to the probe distance error is discussed analytically based on the mathematic formula, and the probe distance can be optimized to minimize the resistivity error. The disclosed approach would extend the applicability of the present instruments to the disc-shaped samples and be useful in the emerging transverse thermoelectricity.

Modifying Electronic Structure of Bismuth Telluride Through S Doping and Te Vacancy Engineering for Enhanced Zn-Ion Storage Ability in Aqueous Zn-proton Hybrid Ion Batteries.

Bismuth chalcogenides are used as cathode materials in Zn-proton hybrid ion batteries, which exhibit an ultraflat discharge plateau that is favorable for practical applications. Unfortunately, their capacity is not competitive, and their charge storage mechanisms are ambiguous, both of which hinder their further development. In this study, S-doped Bi2Te3- x (SBT) nanosheets are prepared by tellurizing a Bi2O2S precursor using a hydrothermal process. As revealed by density functional theory analyses, the S dopant and its induced Te vacancies can distinctly manipulate the electronic structure of SBT, resulting in decent electrical conductivity and more negative adsorption energy to Zn2+. These advantages boost the Zn2+ storage ability of SBT materials. Consequently, compared with defect-free Bi2Te3, the SBT cathodes have superior specific capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability.

Ultralow-Overpotential Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Over Bismuth Telluride-Carbon Nanotube Heterostructure with Organic Framework.

The state-of-the-art iridium and ruthenium oxides-based materials are best known for high efficiency and stability in acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the development of economically feasible catalysts for water-splitting technologies is challenging by the requirements of low overpotential, high stability, and resistance of catalysts to dissolution during the acidic oxygen evolution reaction . Herein, an organometallic core-shell heterostructure composed of a carbon nanotube core (CNT) and bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) shell (denoted as nC-Bi2Te3) is designed and use it as a catalyst for the acidic OER. The proposed catalyst achieves an ultralow overpotential of 160mV at 10mAcm-2 (geometrical), thereby outperforming most of the state-of-the-art precious-metal-based catalysts. The low Tafel slope of 30mVdec-1 and charge transfer resistance (RCT)of 1.5Ω demonstrate its excellent electrocatalytic activity. The morphological and chemical compositions of nC-Bi2Te3 enable the generation of ─OH functional group in the Bi─Te sections formed via a ligand support, which enhances the absorption capacity of H+ ions and increases the intrinsic catalytic activity. The presented insights regarding the material composition-structure relationship can help expand the application scope of high-performance catalysts.

A Layered Bi2 Te3 @PPy Cathode for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries: Mechanism and Application in Printed Flexible Batteries.

Low-cost, safe, and environmental-friendly rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are promising as next-generation energy storage devices for wearable electronics among other applications. However, sluggish ionic transport kinetics and the unstable electrode structure during ionic insertion/extraction hamper their deployment. Herein, a new cathode material based on a layered metal chalcogenide (LMC), bismuth telluride (Bi2 Te3 ), coated with polypyrrole (PPy) is proposed. Taking advantage of the PPy coating, the Bi2 Te3 @PPy composite presents strong ionic absorption affinity, high oxidation resistance, and high structural stability. The ZIBs based on Bi2 Te3 @PPy cathodes exhibit high capacities and ultra-long lifespans of over 5000 cycles. They also present outstanding stability even under bending. In addition, here the reaction mechanism is analyzed using in situ X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and computational tools and it is demonstrated that, in the aqueous system, Zn2+ is not inserted into the cathode as previously assumed. In contrast, proton charge storage dominates the process. Overall, this work not only shows the great potential of LMCs as ZIB cathode materials and the advantages of PPy coating, but also clarifies the charge/discharge mechanism in rechargeable ZIBs based on LMCs.

Low-dimensional heterostructures of tin nanoparticle-decorated Bi2Te3 nanoplates for reducing lattice thermal conductivity

Low-dimensional materials such as nanoplates exhibit unique properties. Among them, thermoelectric materials are one of the most beneficial because they allow the application of a low-dimensional effect to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. In this study, low-dimensional heterostructures of nanoparticle-decorated nanoplates were prepared to further reduce lattice thermal conductivity. Single-crystalline bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanoplates with regular hexagonal shapes were fabricated by solvothermal synthesis. Subsequently, tin nanoparticles were decorated on the surface of the Bi2Te3 nanoplates via electroless plating with various concentrations of Sn precursor (SnCl2). Surface morphology and composition analyses indicated the presence of Sn on the nanoplate surface. To evaluate the original thermal properties of the nanoplates and not those of the fused nanoplates, polycrystalline film-formed nanoplates were prepared by pressing at 300 K under a pressure of 0.45 GPa. The in-plane lattice thermal conductivity of the tin nanoparticle-decorated nanoplates decreased with increasing SnCl2 concentration. At a SnCl2 concentration of 90 mM, the lattice thermal conductivity is 1.3 W/(m·K), which is approximately 30 % lower than that of the nanoplates without electroless plating. This indicates that the deposition of tin on the nanoplate surface reduces the phonon flow owing to phonon scattering. These findings provide a reference for controlling thermal properties of low-dimensional heterostructured materials.

Efficient Separation and Purification Method for Recovering Valuable Elements from Bismuth Telluride Refrigeration Chip Waste.

Bismuth telluride and its alloys are widely utilized in thermoelectric refrigeration and power generation devices. Waste bismuth telluride-based cooling chips contain valuable elements; however, recycling processes for these materials remain underdeveloped due to their complexity. In this study, we developed a concise and efficient chemical method that does not require expensive reagents or equipment, enabling the separation and purification of tellurium, bismuth, selenium, and antimony from waste bismuth telluride-based cooling chips. Initially, the waste was leached with HCl and NaClO3 to dissolve primary elements and recover 99.9% of selenium using hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Subsequently, Na2S and NaOH were employed for precipitation and leaching, resulting in a solution containing tellurium. The precipitated residue was treated with HNO3 to oxidize antimony into insoluble SbOHN and dissolve bismuth completely. 99.8% of the bismuth telluride waste was dissolved via oxidative leaching through hydrolysis. A small amount of sodium sulfide reduced the precipitation percentage of tellurium from 11.9% to 7.5% in an alkaline solution, and the direct recovery percentage of tellurium in the form of TeO2 exceeded 90%, while the purity of TeO2 reached 99.9%. By adjusting the pH of the bismuth solution to 0.15, 98.9% of the bismuth was able to precipitate and be recovered as BiOCl, with the purity also reaching 99.9%. In summary, this study presents an efficient hydrometallurgical method for treating bismuth telluride waste and provides theoretical guidance for reagent dosage, demonstrating the significant potential for industrial applications.