Research

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Sponcered Project and research activity

    Thermoelectric devices, and topological insulators - 

Experimental and computational approaches

Funded by SERB, DST, India

Postdoctoral work 

Responsibilities: 

• Worked on metal chalcogenides for thermoelectric and topological insulators by utilizing Hall effect, electron microscopy, and computational materials science.

• Worked on oxide materials (ZnO); Energy filtering effect; electron transport through semiconductor interfaces; Microstructure evaluation via HRTEM and HRSEM; Characterization expert.  

 Past Postdoctoral work 

Responsibilities: To work on thermal/electrical transport through bulk/thin-film materials; Silicon-based thermoelectric materials; effect of second-phase precipitate on PbTe/Si/ZnO; grain boundary engineering; Characterization.

           High thermal conductivity of silicon ~140 W/m-K exhibits an adverse effect on thermoelectricity. For Si to become a promising thermoelectric material, it is imperative to attain a thermal conductivity of 5-7 W/m-K or less. We proposed a new method to reduce the thermal conductivity by the decorating the mica inside the Si to examine the "spacer effect". Other than that, extensively worked on chalcogenides, oxides and intermetallics to enhance the thermoelectric performance, device fabrication, and to study the thermal transport.

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• PhD Thesis - Understanding the role and interplay of processing conditions, structural disorders, dopants (Cu, Ni and Al) and  nanoinclusions (graphene) on the thermoelectric properties of PbSe

• M.Tech Thesis - Synthesis and characterization of β-FeSi2 semi-conducting material for thermoelectric application (Conversion of heat energy into electrical energy)

o Synthesis of β-FeSi2 via powder metallurgy route; Sintering process via hot press, and furnace annealing

o Thermoelectric device stacking and characterization

• M.Sc Thesis - Synthesis and characterization of composite cathode material for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) (Conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy)