Based on the previous work “Mg3(Bi,Sb)2-based thermoelectric modules for efficient and reliable waste-heat utilization up to 750 K” (Energy & Environmental Science. 2022, 15, 3265-3274), the team of Professor Jiang Wan and Professor Wang Lianjun, College of Materials Science and Engineering of DHU, develops same-parent Thermoelectric Modules consisting of n-type Mg3Sb2- and P-type Mg2ZnSb2 based compounds. The research result, “High-efficiency and Reliable Same-parent Thermoelectric Modules using Mg3Sb2-based compounds,” is published in National Science Review, a leading journal of China’s Science and Technology Journal Excellence Action Plan. Corresponding authors of the paper are Prof. Jiang Guan, Prof. Wang Lianjun and Dr. Tihao Zhang from IFW Dresden, Germany. Both co-first authors of the paper are from the College of Materials Science and Engineering: Meng Jiang, a Ph.D. student in the Class of 2021and Eddie Tian Fu, a Ph.D. student in the Class of 2020.
Towards large-scale commercial application of thermoelectric devices, it is urgent to develop a new generation of thermoelectric devices to meet the high-reliability requirements of high efficiency, environmental friendliness, low cost and long-term cycle stability. Mg3Sb2 compounds have the characteristics of nontoxic nature, the abundance of constituent elements, and excellent mechanical robustness. Therefore, the development of thermoelectric devices using Mg3Sb2-based compounds is in urgent need to ensure its long-term stable operation, which will accelerate the application of Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectric materials.
Figure.(a,b,c) Crystal structure of Mg3SB2-based thermoelectric compounds and related atomic phase results; (d,e) Thermoelectric properties of p/n-type Mg3Sb2 compounds; (f) Device structure design.
This research has completed the first full-chain study of Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectric devices from material performance optimization, device structure design, interface optimization, welding technology to device reliability evaluation. It shows that Mg3Sb2 thermoelectric modules have excellent thermodynamic stability and outstanding thermal cycle stability, breaking through the bottleneck of applying thermoelectric material preparation devices in the medium temperature. It is significant to promote the application of high conversion efficiency and high-reliability thermoelectric devices.
Founded in 2013, National Science Review is China’s first national English-language comprehensive academic journal of science and technology. It provides an in-depth report of representative research breakthroughs and important science and technology policies in China. Its 2022 annual Impact Factor is 23.178, ranked third in the global comprehensive journals.
