Synthesis, theoretical investigation and properties of nanocomposite thermoelectric materials

Applicants Professor Dr. Lorenz Kienle; Professor Dr. Wolf Eckhard Müller; Professorin Dr. Beate Paulus; Professorin Dr. Sabine Schlecht
Subject Area Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
Term from 2009 to 2017
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 121285155
 

Project Description

Central goal of this project is the investigation of the influence of the microstructure of Skutterudites and lead telluride-based materials on their properties. The microstructural phenomena under investigation encompass compositional gradients, formation of precipitates on the nanoscale, grain growth and segregation processes and the formation of cluster structures in a percolation network. It is a key aspect of this proposal that the structural changes are correlated to changes in properties and theoretical calculations on the local properties and electronic states of the respective thermoelectric material. In addition, a potential applicability of thermocouples of p-/n-type Skutterudites and p-type LAST/n-type Pb-Bi-Te will be evaluated. A direct comparison of high-quality TEM information, theoretical results and property profiles is directed versus better predictability of thermoelectric properties of nanopowder materials.
DFG Programme Priority Programmes
Subproject of SPP 1386:  Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials: Theory, Model Systems and Controlled Synthesis