Researchers from the University of Dhaka, led by S. S. Saif, M. M. Hossain, and M. A. Ali, have identified three new double perovskite oxides (DPOs) with promising thermoelectric properties. Their findings, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, could contribute to more efficient waste heat management in the energy sector.
Thermoelectric materials can convert heat into electricity, making them valuable for capturing waste heat from industrial processes and power plants. The researchers used advanced computational methods to predict and analyze the properties of three new DPOs: Ba2GaVO6, Ba2GaNbO6, and Ba2GaTaO6. These materials exhibit high figure of merit (ZT) values, a key indicator of thermoelectric performance, at high temperatures.
The study found that Ba2GaVO6 has a ZT value of 2.36 at 1500 K, while Ba2GaNbO6 and Ba2GaTaO6 have ZT values of 1.78 and 1.91, respectively, at the same temperature. These high ZT values are due to the materials’ low lattice thermal conductivity, which arises from strong scattering of phonon modes. The researchers also analyzed how the thermoelectric parameters of these materials change with temperature.
The practical applications of these findings are significant for the energy industry. By converting waste heat into electricity, these new DPOs could help improve the overall efficiency of energy systems. For instance, they could be used in exhaust systems of vehicles or in industrial processes where high temperatures are generated. However, further experimental validation and optimization are needed to bring these materials from the lab to real-world applications.
In summary, the researchers have identified promising new thermoelectric materials that could contribute to more efficient energy use. Their work highlights the potential of computational methods in accelerating the discovery of advanced materials for the energy sector.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.