Enhancement of thermoelectric efficiency by combining organic and inorganic materials

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K13838
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Condensed matter physics II
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Hanasaki Noriaki 大阪大学, 理学研究科, 教授 (70292761)
• Research Collaborator: Sakai Hideaki ; Murakawa Hiroshi
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 熱電変換 / 電気化学 / 無機物質 / 有機分子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the thermoelectric materials, the acoustic phonon, which contributes to the heat conductance, is scattered by the rattling of the atoms. The organic molecules have many intramolecular vibration modes. These many modes have the advantage of the scattering of the phonon. We studied the effect of the intercalation of the organic cations such as hexylamine into the inorganic layered compound SnSe2 by the electrochemical methods. The electric conductivity increases by the electron doping, and the heat conductivity decreases, since the organic molecules cause the scattering of the phonon. By the intercalation of the organic molecules, we succeeded in the enhancement of the dimensionless figure of merit.

Free Research Field

物性物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

簡便に熱を電気エネルギーに変換できれば、社会の省エネルギーに貢献できる。このような働きをする物質は熱電物質と呼ばれる。変換効率を上げるには、熱電物質内における熱の流れを減らす必要がある。本研究では、無機化合物に有機分子を導入し、熱を運ぶフォノンを有機分子で散乱させる事を試みた。実験の結果、熱伝導率を下げて変換効率を向上させる事に成功した。熱電効果に有利な無機化合物と、熱伝導を阻害する有機分子を組み合わせる有効性が確かめられた。