Thermoelectric properties and performance of flexible reduced graphene oxide films up to 3,000 K

Thermoelectric properties and performance of flexible reduced graphene oxide films up to 3,000 K

Event Date: February 5, 2018
Authors: T. Li, A. Pickel, Y. Yao, Y. Chen, Y. Zeng, S. Lacey, Y. Li, Y. Wang, J. Dai, Y. Wang, B. Yang, M. Fuhrer, A. Marconnet, C. Dames, and H. Drew
Journal: Nature Energy
Paper URL: Link to Full Text
Nature Energy, vol. 3, 148-156, 2018. DOI: 10.1038/s41560-018-0086-3

The development of ultrahigh-temperature thermoelectric materials could enable thermoelectric topping of combustion power cycles as well as extending the range of direct thermoelectric power generation in concentrated solar power. However, thermoelectric operation temperatures have been restricted to under 1,500 K due to the lack of suitable materials. Here, we demonstrate a thermoelectric conversion material based on high-temperature reduced graphene oxide nanosheets that can perform reliably up to 3,000 K. After a reduction treatment at 3,300 K, the nanosheet film exhibits an increased conductivity to ~4,000 S cm−1 at 3,000 K and a high power factor S2σ = 54.5 µW cm−1 K−2. We report measurements characterizing the film’s thermoelectric properties up to 3,000 K. The reduced graphene oxide film also exhibits a high broadband radiation absorbance and can act as both a radiative receiver and a thermoelectric generator. The printable, lightweight and flexible film is attractive for system integration and scalable manufacturing.