Enhancing Thermoelectric Properties in SiGe Alloy through SiC Nanoparticle Doping

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the China Institute of Atomic Energy have successfully developed a novel approach to enhance the thermoelectric properties of SiGe alloy and delay its attenuation. By incorporating SiC nanoparticles into the SiGe matrix, the team achieved a significant improvement in the power factor and a substantial decrease in thermal conductivity. The resulting material, (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC)0.015, displayed a ZT value of 1.308 at 1023 K, with only a 2.4% reduction in thermoelectric performance after thermal aging.

Key Takeaways:

  • The research team successfully fabricated n-type (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC) x alloy using high-energy ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS).
  • The introduction of SiC nanoparticles into the SiGe matrix resulted in a significant decrease in thermal conductivity, from 4.32 W m-1 K-1 to 2.08 W m-1 K-1.
  • The composite effect of SiC and the SiGe matrix improved the power factor, reaching 28.4 μW cm-1 K-2.
  • The (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC)0.015 sample achieved a ZT value of 1.308 at 1023 K, with only a 2.4% reduction in thermoelectric performance after thermal aging.
  • The research demonstrated that SiC nanoparticle doping can effectively enhance the thermoelectric properties of SiGe alloy and delay its attenuation.
  • The study was funded by the China National Nuclear Corporation and CNNC centralized R&D project.
  • Additional authors contributing to the research include Taolin Zhao, Xin Li, Weiming Wu, Jialin Gu, and Yunze Han.

Statistics:

  • The thermal conductivity of the (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC) x alloy decreased from 4.32 W m-1 K-1 to 2.08 W m-1 K-1.
  • The power factor of the (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC)0.015 sample reached 28.4 μW cm-1 K-2.
  • The ZT value of the (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC)0.015 sample was 1.308 at 1023 K.
  • The thermoelectric performance of the (Si0.8Ge0.2)0.98P0.02(SiC)0.015 sample decreased by only 2.4% after thermal aging.

Sources:

  • ACS Omega, 2025.
  • China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, People's Republic of China.
  • Xian Tang, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, People's Republic of China.
  • Taolin Zhao, Xin Li, Weiming Wu, Jialin Gu, and Yunze Han.