University of California

Other

Nelson E Coates

Jeffrey J Urban

Ayaskanta Sahu

Boris Russ

Rachel A Segalman

Jason D Forster

Jared Lynch

Michael L Chabinyc

David A Brown

Jeffrey Lynn Snyder

Kristin Aslaug Persson

Fan Yang

Madeleine P Gordon

Tristan Day

Preston Zhou

Miao Liu

Christopher Dames

Kevin C See

Edmond W Zaia

Shannon K Yee

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to graded thermoelectric materials. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures comprise a thermoelectric material, with nanostructures of the plurality of nanostructures having first ligands disposed on surfaces of the nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures is deposited on a substrate to form a layer. The layer is contacted with a solution containing second ligands. A ligand exchange process occurs where some of the first ligands disposed on the plurality of nanostructures are replaced with the second ligands. A first region of the layer is removed from contact with the solution so that the ligand exchange process does not occur in the first region of the layer, with the ligand exchange process occurring in the layer in contact with the solution. The layer is then removed from contact with the solution.

Graded thermoelectric materials

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to thermoelectric polymer aerogels. In one aspect, a method includes depositing a solution on a substrate. The solution comprises a thermoelectric polymer. Solvent of the solution is removed to form a layer of the thermoelectric polymer. The layer is placed in a polar solvent to form a gel comprising the thermoelectric polymer. The gel is cooled to freeze the polar solvent. The gel is placed in a vacuum environment to sublimate the polar solvent from the gel to form an aerogel comprising the thermoelectric polymer.

Thermoelectric polymer aerogels and methods of fabrication thereof

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to surface doping of nanostructures. In one aspect a plurality of nanostructures is fabricated with a solution-based process using a solvent. The plurality of nanostructures comprises a semiconductor. Each of the plurality of nanostructures has a surface with capping species attached to the surface. The plurality of nanostructures is mixed in the solvent with a dopant compound that includes doping species. During the mixing the capping species on the surfaces of the plurality of nanostructures are replaced by the doping species. Charge carriers are transferred between the doping species and the plurality of nanostructures.

Surface doping of nanostructures

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to thermoelectric materials. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of nanostructures. The plurality of nanostructures comprise a thermoelectric material, with each nanostructure of the plurality of nanostructures having first ligands disposed on a surface of the nanostructure. The plurality of nanostructures is mixed with a solution containing second ligands and a ligand exchange process occurs in which the first ligands disposed on the plurality of nanostructures are replaced with the second ligands. The plurality of nanostructures is deposited on a substrate to form a layer. The layer is thermally annealed.

Nanostructured layers of thermoelectric materials

The present invention provides for an inorganic nanostructure-organic polymer heterostructure, useful as a thermoelectric composite material, comprising (a) an inorganic nanostructure, and (b) an electrically conductive organic polymer disposed on the inorganic nanostructure. Both the inorganic nanostructure and the electrically conductive organic polymer are solution-processable.

Inorganic nanostructure-organic polymer heterostructures useful for thermoelectric devices

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Oakland, CA, United States of America

Nelson E Coates