Nano-composite thermo-electric energy converter and fabrication method thereof

US10283691B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Dillard University · US

Inventors

• Abdalla Darwish · Kenner, US
• Sergey Sarkisov · Huntsville, US
• Paolo Mele · Muroran, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 14, 2015
• Grant date: May 7, 2019
• Expiry date: Sep 14, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N10/80

Abstract

Briefly, the present disclosure relates to a nanocomposite thermoelectric energy converter comprising a composite thin film inorganic semiconductor having carbonized polymer nano-clusters and the net of polymer nano-fibers included within. The carbonized polymer nano-clusters and nano-fibers improve the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT by increasing electrical conductivity and decreasing thermal conductivity. The converter may be fabricated by a dual beam pulsed laser deposition process. A first laser beam evaporates a target comprising the materials of the inorganic semiconductor. A second laser beam evaporates the polymer using a matrix assisted target for depositing the polymer concurrently with the semiconductor deposition to yield the composite film. The lasers may be separately controlled to determine the resulting composition. The converter may be deposited on rigid or flexible substrates for a wide range of applications.