Journal article

Publication year: 2015

Journal: Review of Scientific Instruments

Volume number: 86

Issue number: 7

ISSN: 0034-6748

eISSN: 1089-7623

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4926404

Publisher: American Institute of Physics

Abstract: 
Thermoelectric materials can directly convert heat into electrical energy. The characterization of different materials is an important part in thermoelectric materials research to improve their properties. Usually, different methods and setups are combined for the temperature dependent determination of all thermoelectric key quantities - Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity. Here, we present a measurement system for the simultaneous determination of all of these quantities plus the direct determination of the figure of merit by means of the Harman method (zT)(H) in a temperature range from room temperature up to 600 K. A simultaneous measurement saves time and reduces the measurement error, and the change of all material properties can be monitored even for unstable materials. Thermal conductivity measurements are inherently affected by undesired thermal losses, in particular, through radiation at higher temperatures. We show a simple experimental approach to measure radiation losses and correct for those. Comparative measurements on traditional systems show good agreement for all measured quantities. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Harvard Citation style: Kolb, H., Dasgupta, T., Zabrocki, K., Mueller, E. and de Boor, J. (2015) Simultaneous measurement of all thermoelectric properties of bulk materials in the temperature range 300-600 K, Review of Scientific Instruments, 86(7), Article 073901. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4926404

APA Citation style: Kolb, H., Dasgupta, T., Zabrocki, K., Mueller, E., & de Boor, J. (2015). Simultaneous measurement of all thermoelectric properties of bulk materials in the temperature range 300-600 K. Review of Scientific Instruments. 86(7), Article 073901. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4926404