Thermoelectric power of bulk black-phosphorus

TL;DR

This study experimentally evaluates the thermoelectric properties of bulk black-phosphorus, demonstrating its potential for energy harvesting applications due to favorable Seebeck coefficient and power factor at elevated temperatures.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurement of thermoelectric parameters of bulk black-phosphorus across a temperature range, highlighting its suitability for thermoelectric devices.

Findings

Seebeck coefficient of +335 μV/K at room temperature

Power factor increases 2.7 times at 385 K compared to room temperature

Electrical resistance decreases by up to 40% with heating

Abstract

The potential of bulk black-phosphorus for thermoelectric applications has been experimentally studied. The Seebeck Coefficient (S) has been measured in the temperature range from 300 K to 385 K, finding a value of S = +335 +- 10 uV/K at room temperature (indicating a naturally occurring p-type conductivity). S increases with temperature, as expected for p-type semiconductors, which can be attributed to an increase of the charge carrier density. The electrical resistance drops up to a 40 % while heating in the studied temperature range. As a consequence, the power factor at 385 K is 2.7 times higher than that at room temperature. This work demonstrates the feasibility of black-phosphorus in thermoelectric applications, such as thermal energy scavenging, which typically require devices with high performance at temperatures above room temperature.