3D nano-structured thermoelectric materials: morphological characterization

Different intricate 3D nano-structures have been developed by electrochemical deposition of a thermoelectric material (Bi2Te3) into nanoporous templates (Polyester, Teflon, 3D-Anodic Alumina, Nylon and Cellulose) to obtain lower thermal conductivities than that in bulk or thin film configurations, improving their thermoelectric performance. This reduction is caused by increasing the surface to volume ration and increase the phonon scattering. Nevertheless, the direct measurement of the thermal conductivity in these nanostructured thermoelectric materials is quite challenging, and the comparison between different morphologies is within the detection limit of actual experimental systems. Therefore, we have developed a theoretical model of the phonon transport along any nano-structure . In this sense, we plan to obtain the actual nanostructure of the 5 types of nanostructure currently grown in our laboratory by means of ptychoragphy measurements,to fed the theoretical model.