Application of Entropy Engineering in Thermoelectrics

doi:10.15541/jim20200417

Abstract

Abstract:

As the extension of high-entropy alloy, entropy engineering has been already extensively used in thermoelectrics because it can guide the optimization of thermoelectric (TE) performance from the aspects of both electrical and thermal transports. Due to the inherent material gene-like feature, entropy can be used as a performance indicator to rapidly screen new multicomponent TE materials. In this review, we first reveal the reason why entropy can be used as the performance indicator of TE materials. The physical mechanisms of enhanced structure symmetry, improved Seebeck coefficient, and suppressed lattice thermal conductivity as a result of the increased configurational entropy are discussed. Then, the applications of entropy engineering in typical TE materials, such as liquid-like materials and IV-VI semiconductors, are outlined, and the approach to screen and identify candidate multicomponent TE materials with high configurational entropy is introduced. Finally, the future directions for entropy engineering are highlighted.

Key words: entropy engineering, thermoelectric material, materials genome engineering, electrical and thermal transports, review

CLC Number:

TB34

YANG Qingyu, QIU Pengfei, SHI Xun, CHEN Lidong. Application of Entropy Engineering in Thermoelectrics[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2021, 36(4): 347-354.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig. 1 Schematic of entropy engineering in thermoelectrics

Fig. 2 Room-temperature Seebeck coefficient as a function of configurational entropy in Cu2(S/Se/Te)-based multicomponent materials[10]

Fig. 3 Lattice thermal conductivity as a function of configurational entropy for typical TE materials[10,39-40] The red zone presents the minimum lattice thermal conductivity

Fig. 4 TE figure of merit as a function of configurational entropy for typical TE materials

Fig. 5 Carrier concentration dependence of room-temperature Seebeck coefficient in Cu2(S/Se/Te)-based TE materials with different crystal symmetry[10]

Fig. 6 (a) Seebeck coefficient and (b) lattice thermal conductivity as a function of configurational entropy in (Sn, Ge, Pb, Mn)Te-based materials[39]

Fig. 7 Gibbs free energy as a function of the average solubility parameter$(\bar{\delta })$for given multicomponent TE materials with different number of components[10] (1 ? = 0.1 nm)

Fig. 8 Enthalpy as a function of the number of components for typical TE materials[10]

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