Integrating Graphene Into Polymer Derived Ceramics: A Quest For Understanding Thermoelectric Phenomena

Keywords

Aerogel; Graphene; Polymer derived ceramics; Silicon oxycarbide; Thermoelectrics

Abstract

For many decades, thermoelectric devices has been employed by the space and defence industries in order to provide long-duration, low-maintenance power to various space vehicles, satellites, and deep space probes. At present, state-of-the-art technologies tend to rely on expensive, rare, and often hazardous, materials for the construction of thermoelectric devices. This is not the only deficiency present; these materials also operate at an extremely low efficiency of around 4-10% (ZT≈1.0). Although recent research in the field has been plentiful and has shown that thermoelectric efficiency can be improved using controlled nanostructuring of the thermoelectric materials, these materials still utilize rare, expensive materials and have yet to be proven in the thermoelectric device construction. Therefore, the presented work seeks to introduce a new class of Earth-abundant, non-toxic materials to the world of thermoelectric research. The nanocomposites presented were fabricated using silicon oxycarbide (SiCO) as the matrix material with reduced graphene oxide networks as the filler material. Various concentrations and orientations of the graphene sheets were investigated to determine what effects the graphene had on the phases and microstructure that are present in the nanocomposite as well as their resulting thermal and electrical behaviour. While electrical and thermal conductivity in similar composites have been investigated in recent research, the research presented provides the first study to connect these properties with the Hall mobility, carrier density, and Seebeck coefficient of these nanocomposites. The results of this study have shown that there is indeed a potential for the utilization of SiCO based nanocomposites as a novel thermoelectric material. With this opportunity, there is a great deal of work and research that needs to be done in this area to significantly increase thermoelectric performance while keeping it a cost-effective, Earth-friendly system.

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC

Volume

12

Number of Pages

8189-8196

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

85051380779 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85051380779

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