Extreme solid state refrigeration using nanostructured Bi-Te alloys.

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/993612· OSTI ID:993612

Lima Sharma, Ana L ^[1]; Spataru, Dan Catalin; Medlin, Douglas L; Sharma, Peter Anand; Morales, Alfredo Martin

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1. San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Materials are desperately needed for cryogenic solid state refrigeration. We have investigated nanostructured Bi-Te alloys for their potential use in Ettingshausen refrigeration to liquid nitrogen temperatures. These alloys form alternating layers of Bi{sub 2} and Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} blocks in equilibrium. The composition Bi{sub 4}Te{sub 3} was identified as having the greatest potential for having a high Ettingshausen figure of merit. Both single crystal and polycrystalline forms of this material were synthesized. After evaluating the Ettingshausen figure of merit for a large, high quality polycrystal, we simulated the limits of practical refrigeration in this material from 200 to 77 K using a simple device model. The band structure was also computed and compared to experiments. We discuss the crystal growth, transport physics, and practical refrigeration potential of Bi-Te alloys.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 993612
• Report Number(s): SAND2009-5978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALLOYS
CRYOGENICS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
MONOCRYSTALS
NITROGEN
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICS
REFRIGERATION
TRANSPORT