Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026
11:16
Engineering Platform and Experimental Protocol for Design and Evaluation of a Neurally-controlled Powered Transfemoral Prosthesis
Published on: July 22, 2014
16.7K
High Power Density for All-Fe2VAl-based Thermoelectric Module by Enhancing the Power Factor of p-type Leg Through
Tarachand1, Naohito Tsujii1, Raju Chetty1
1Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan.
Small Methods
|February 2, 2026
Summary
Researchers enhanced the thermoelectric performance of iron-based compounds (Fe2Al) using defect engineering and a novel wetting effect. This resulted in a record-breaking power density for thermoelectric devices near room temperature.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid State Physics
- Thermoelectrics
Background:
- Iron-based compounds (Fe2Al) exhibit promising thermoelectric properties due to their electronic band structure.
- Improving the performance of p-type Fe2Al has been challenging compared to n-type.
- Reproducibility and scale-up issues hinder practical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the p-type thermoelectric performance of Fe2Al through defect and grain boundary engineering.
- To develop a low-resistance contact method for Fe2Al thermoelectric legs.
- To achieve high output power density in Fe2Al-based thermoelectric modules.
Main Methods:
- Regulating the V/Al ratio and incorporating In-doping in Fe2V0.85Ti0.1Ta0.05Al.
- Utilizing a wetting effect to improve the power factor near room temperature.
- Implementing a two-step metallization process for p- and n-type Fe2Al legs.
Main Results:
- Significant enhancement in power factor achieved near room temperature via the wetting effect.
- Achieved significantly low contact resistance for both p- and n-type Fe2Al.
- Demonstrated a high output power density of 624 mW/cm2 with ΔT = 327 K in an All-Fe2Al module, 3.8 times higher than previous records.
Conclusions:
- A novel approach using the wetting effect successfully boosted p-type Fe2Al thermoelectric performance.
- The developed metallization process minimizes contact resistance, maximizing power output.
- High power density, material stability, and abundance make Fe2Al a viable candidate for power generation and cooling applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Power Factor
736
The power factor is defined as the ratio of average (or active) power to apparent power, as illustrated by the relation
736
01:20Power Factor Correction
539
The power transmission to a factory involves the transfer of apparent power, a combination of active and reactive power. The power factor measures how effectively electrical power is converted into useful work output. The ratio of the real power (KW) that does the work to the apparent power (KVA) supplied to the circuit.
539
01:08Power
13.0K
The concept of work involves force and displacement; meanwhile, the work-energy theorem relates the net work done on a body to the difference in its kinetic energy, calculated between two points on its trajectory. While none of these quantities or relations involves time explicitly, we know that the time available to accomplish work is often just as important as the amount of work itself. For example, sprinters in a race may have achieved the same velocity at the finish, therefore,...
13.0K
02:36Nuclear Power
9.5K
Controlled nuclear fission reactions are used to generate electricity. Any nuclear reactor that produces power via the fission of uranium or plutonium by bombardment with neutrons has six components: nuclear fuel consisting of fissionable material, a nuclear moderator, a neutron source, control rods, reactor coolant, and a shield and containment system.
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear fuel consists of a fissile isotope, such as uranium-235, which must be present in sufficient quantity to provide a...
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear fuel consists of a fissile isotope, such as uranium-235, which must be present in sufficient quantity to provide a...
9.5K
01:22Instantaneous Power
916
Instantaneous power is important in electrical circuits, mainly when dealing with sinusoidal input. Instantaneous power, denoted as p(t), results from the multiplication of the instantaneous voltage (v(t)) across an element and the instantaneous current (i(t)) flowing through it. This relationship adheres to the passive sign convention and represents a fundamental principle in electrical engineering.
916
01:14Complex Power
914
Power engineers have introduced the concept of complex power to determine the cumulative effect of parallel loads. This idea plays a crucial role in power analysis because it encompasses all the details related to the power consumed by a specific load.
Complex power is defined as the multiplication of the voltage and the complex conjugate of the current. The magnitude of this power, known as apparent power, is measured in volt-amperes (VA). Notably, the angle of the complex power equates to the...
Complex power is defined as the multiplication of the voltage and the complex conjugate of the current. The magnitude of this power, known as apparent power, is measured in volt-amperes (VA). Notably, the angle of the complex power equates to the...
914