Production and development of semiconducting thermoelectric materials and generators with innovative approaches

Thermoelectric word is the general name of the semiconducting materials which are composed of the composition of temperature and electric words in structure and which can work with the temperature difference in the environment and produce electricity as a result of this work. The aim of this work, production and development of semiconducting thermoelectric materials and generators with innovative approaches. In this study, it is aimed to reduce the fuel consumption by charging the battery by generating electricity by using the thermoelectric generator which will be placed in the exhaust system of the automobile instead of the charging dynamo. In this context, ceramic based p- and n- type thermoelectric semiconducting materials which are used in the production of thermoelectric generators were produced by sol-gel method. For the production of p- type powders, rare earth elements (Lanthanum and Europium) were added to calcium cobalt oxide for the first time together with silver. On the other hand, zinc aluminum germanium oxide powders were synthesized by adding aluminum and germanium to zinc oxide for the production of n- type materials. Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR), Differential Thermal Analysis-Termogravimetry(DTA-TG), X-Ray Diffraction(XRD) and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS) analyzes of the specified materials were performed and interpreted. It has been determined that the produced semiconducting ceramic materials can be used efficiently in the production of thermoelectric generators.