Enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit in polycrystalline carbon nanostructures
Lehmann T, Ryndyk DA, Cuniberti G (2015)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2015
Journal
Book Volume: 92
Article Number: 035418
Journal Issue: 3
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.92.035418
Abstract
Grain boundaries are commonly observed in carbon nanostructures, but their influence on thermal and electric properties is still not completely understood. Using a combined approach of density functional tight-binding theory and nonequilibrium Green functions we investigate electron and phonon transport in carbon-based systems. In this work, quantum transport and thermoelectric properties are summarized for graphene sheets, graphene nanoribbons, and carbon nanotubes with a variety of grain boundary types in a wide temperature range. Motivated by previous findings that disorder scatters phonons more effectively than electrons, a significant improvement in the thermoelectric performance for polycrystalline systems is expected. As the effect is marginally sensitive to the grain boundary type, we demonstrate that grain boundaries are a viable tool to greatly enhance the figure of merit, paving the way for the design of new thermoelectric materials.
Involved external institutions
Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Lehmann, T., Ryndyk, D.A., & Cuniberti, G. (2015). Enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit in polycrystalline carbon nanostructures. Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 92(3). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.035418
MLA:
Lehmann, Thomas, Dmitry A. Ryndyk, and Gianaurelio (Giovanni) Cuniberti. "Enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit in polycrystalline carbon nanostructures." Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 92.3 (2015).
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