Heat to Electricity Conversion by a Graphene Stripe with Heavy Chiral Fermions

TL;DR

This paper proposes a thermoelectric energy conversion method using graphene stripes with heavy chiral fermions, achieving high efficiency and power density for potential thermoelectric generators.

Contribution

It introduces a novel thermoelectric conversion mechanism in polarized graphene stripes with heavy chiral fermions, demonstrating high figure of merit and power density.

Findings

High electric conductance and Seebeck coefficient in graphene stripes.

Potential for thermoelectric generators with ZδT ≈ 100.

Electric power densities around 1 MW/cm².

Abstract

A conversion of thermal energy into electricity is considered in the electrically polarized graphene stripes with zigzag edges where the heavy chiral fermion (HCF) states are formed. The stripes are characterized by a high electric conductance Ge and by a significant Seebeck coefficient S. The electric current in the stripes is induced due to a non-equilibrium thermal injection of "hot" electrons. This thermoelectric generation process might be utilized for building of thermoelectric generators with an exceptionally high figure of merit Z{\delta}T \simeq 100 >> 1 and with an appreciable electric power densities \sim 1 MW/cm2.