Magnéli oxides as promising <em>n</em>-type thermoelectrics

Gregor Kieslich; Wolfgang Tremel; Gregor Kieslich; Wolfgang Tremel

doi:10.3934/matersci.2014.4.184

AIMS Materials Science

2014, Volume 1, Issue 4: 184-190. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2014.4.184

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Magnéli oxides as promising n-type thermoelectrics

Gregor Kieslich ^{1
,
,},
Wolfgang Tremel ^{2
,
,}

1.
Functional Inorganic and Hybrid Materials Group, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK;
2.
Institut für Anorganische Chemie und Analytische Chemie der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Duesbergweg 10-14, D-55099 Mainz, Germany

Received: 29 July 2014 Accepted: 20 October 2014 Published: 29 October 2014

The discovery of a large thermopower in cobalt oxides in 1997 lead to a surge of interest in oxides for thermoelectric application. Whereas conversion efficiencies of p-type oxides can compete with non-oxide materials, n-type oxides show significantly lower thermoelectric performances. In this context so-called Magnéli oxides have recently gained attention as promising n-type thermoelectrics. A combination of crystallographic shear and intrinsic disorder lead to relatively low thermal conductivities and metallic-like electrical conductivities in Magnéli oxides. Current peak-zT values of 0.3 around 1100 K for titanium and tungsten Magnéli oxides are encouraging for future research. Here, we put Magnéli oxides into context of n-type oxide thermoelectrics and give a perspective where future research can bring us.

Citation: Gregor Kieslich, Wolfgang Tremel. Magnéli oxides as promising n-type thermoelectrics[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2014, 1(4): 184-190. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2014.4.184

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Abstract

The discovery of a large thermopower in cobalt oxides in 1997 lead to a surge of interest in oxides for thermoelectric application. Whereas conversion efficiencies of p-type oxides can compete with non-oxide materials, n-type oxides show significantly lower thermoelectric performances. In this context so-called Magnéli oxides have recently gained attention as promising n-type thermoelectrics. A combination of crystallographic shear and intrinsic disorder lead to relatively low thermal conductivities and metallic-like electrical conductivities in Magnéli oxides. Current peak-zT values of 0.3 around 1100 K for titanium and tungsten Magnéli oxides are encouraging for future research. Here, we put Magnéli oxides into context of n-type oxide thermoelectrics and give a perspective where future research can bring us.

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