Photo- and gas-tuned, reversible thermoelectric properties and anomalous photo-thermoelectric effects of platinum-loaded tungsten trioxide

Journal Article · Tue Jun 28 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4954874· OSTI ID:22596675

Suzuki, Kenta; Watanabe, Takuya ^[1]; Kakemoto, Hirofumi; Irie, Hiroshi ^[2]

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1. Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511 (Japan)
2. Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511 (Japan)

We report the photo- and gas-controllable properties of platinum-loaded tungsten trioxide (Pt/WO{sub 3}), which is of interest for developing practical applications of WO{sub 3} as well as for interpreting such phenomena from scientific viewpoints. Here, a Pt/WO{sub 3} thin film generated a thermoelectric power due to the ultraviolet-light-induced band-gap excitation (photochromic (PC) reaction) and/or dark storage in formic acid vapor (gaschromic (GC) reaction) in the absence of O{sub 2}, resulting from the generation of W{sup 5+} ions. After such chromic reactions, the electrical conductivity (σ) is increased, whereas the absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient (S) is decreased. The changes in σ and S and their rate of change for consistency increased in the order of: during the PC reaction < during the GC reaction < during simultaneous PC and GC reactions. The opposite behaviors, a decrease in σ and an increase in S, were exhibited by Pt/WO{sub 3} in the presence of O{sub 2} after dark storage or visible-light irradiation. This reversible cycle could be repeated. Moreover, anomalous, nontrivial photo-thermoelectric effects (a photoconductive effect (photoconductivity, σ{sub photo}) and a photo-Seebeck effect (photo-Seebeck coefficient, S{sub photo})) were also detected in response to the visible-light irradiation of Pt/WO{sub 3} in the absence of O{sub 2} after chromic reactions. Under visible-light irradiation, both σ{sub photo} and the absolute value of S{sub photo} are increased. After the irradiation, both values were decreased, that is, σ and the absolute value of S were smaller than σ{sub photo} and the absolute value of S{sub photo}, respectively. These effects are likely to be due to the photoinduced charge carriers and the accumulated electrons in Pt contributing to the increase in σ{sub photo}. In addition, electrons are extracted from the W{sup 5+} state, decreasing the number of W{sup 5+} in H{sub x}WO{sub 3} and thus contributing to the increase in S{sub photo}. After light irradiation, the accumulated electrons in Pt are returned to the energetically favorable W{sup 5+} state, and Pt/H{sub x}WO{sub 3} are returned to the initial state. Then both σ and S are decreased. The mechanisms of our anomalous, nontrivial photo-thermoelectric effects are presumed to be different from that involving the two-carrier contribution to the transport properties.

• OSTI ID: 22596675
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 119; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHARGE CARRIERS
ELECTRONS
EXCITATION
FORMIC ACID
IRRADIATION
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PLATINUM
SEEBECK EFFECT
THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES
THIN FILMS
TRANSPORT THEORY
TUNGSTATES
TUNGSTEN IONS
TUNGSTEN OXIDES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION