Microscopic conduction study on phenylacetylene capped silicon nanoparticles in thermoelectric applications

In order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and to meet the UK's commitment of a reduction of 80% by 2050, it is necessary to make major advances in efficient, clean and secure energy conversion and use. Thermoelectric materials are able to convert a temperature gradient from wasted or unutilized heat sources into electrical power. Therefore, thermoelectric materials have become an area of great interest. Phenylacetylene functionalized Silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) are showing potential to provide highly efficient thermoelectric materials. Knowledge of the microscopic conduction rates and mechanisms of these materials would be of much use in our attempts to improve these materials by design. Muon spectroscopy appears to be an elegant method of measuring these microscopic properties. This experiment is to study our thermoelectric SiNPs with Muon spectroscopy.