Enhanced thermopower of bismuth nanocomposites
Abstract
We report here the first experimental observation of a very large enhancement of the thermoelectric power of bismuth nanocomposites in which the bismuth phase consists of structures with dimensions on the order of 9 to 15 nm. The bismuth phase is obtained in both porous silica and porous alumina hosts. Such enhancement has been theoretically predicted by Lin et al. [Phys. Rev. B 62, 4610, (2000)], and that paper suggests that it should lead to the development of high figure of merit thermoelectric materials. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistance of our nanocomposite samples is also consistent with the theory, and is very different from that of bulk bismuth. For comparison, we prepared zinc nanocomposites in the same silica and alumina hosts. The Zn nanocomposites show metallic conductivity and thermoelectric power.
- Publication:
-
APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002APS..MARB26005H