What can Skutterudites be used for?
The defining new ingredients in the proposed eMMRTG are materials called skutterudites, which have unique properties that make them especially useful for power systems. These materials conduct electricity like metal, but heat up like glass, and can generate sizable electrical voltages.
What are thermoelectric materials used for?
Thermoelectric materials are used in niche cooling applications, for example to maintain very stable temperatures in lasers and optical detectors, and they are often found in office water coolers. They are also used in space exploration to convert heat from a radioactive material into electricity.
How are skutterudites made?
OSU researchers have created skutterudites with microwave technology with an indium cobalt antimonite compound, and believe others are possible. They are continuing research, and believe that ultimately a range of different compounds may be needed for different applications of thermoelectric generation.
What is the structure of skutterudites?
Skutterudites. Their structural–chemical formula is EPyT4X12, where EP is the “filler atom” enclosed in an icosahedral cage structure made by X atoms, each one centered around a T atom that is a transitional metal atom [76].
What are the best thermoelectric materials?
Bismuth telluride alloys are the best room-temperature thermoelectric materials known today but they are costly because of the large amounts of expensive tellurium they contain.
What are various thermoelectric materials?
Conventional thermoelectric materials like Bi2Te3 or PbTe are environmentally harmful and use rare elements. In addition, their high-temperature stability is low. Potential interest of thermoelectric glass-ceramics is based on the fact that the residual glass can hinder the thermal conductivity.
Where are skutterudite found?
Skutterudite was discovered in Skuterud Mines, Modum, Buskerud, Norway, in 1845. Smaltite is an alternative name for the mineral. Notable occurrences include Cobalt, Ontario, Skuterud, Norway, and Franklin, New Jersey, in the United States.
What are nanostructured thermoelectric materials?
Nanostructured thermoelectric materials are designed to introduce nanometer-sized polycrystallines and interfaces into bulk materials, which can reduce the lattice thermal conductivity by increasing the phonon scattering.
Where is cobalt ore?
As cheaply mined cobalt ore is available from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the average price of cobalt has remained stable.
What type of rock is Skutterudite?
The mineral has a bright metallic luster, and is tin white or light steel gray in color with a black streak. The specific gravity is 6.5 and the hardness is 5.5–6. Its crystal structure is isometric with cube and octahedron forms similar to that of pyrite….
| Skutterudite | |
|---|---|
| Unit cell | a = 8.204 Å, Z = 8 |
| Identification |
Which country is the largest producer of cobalt?
The world’s largest cobalt-producing countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo – 100,000 tonnes.
- Russia – 6,100 tonnes.
- Australia – 5,100 tonnes.
- Philippines – 4,600 tonnes.
- Cuba – 3,500 tonnes.
- Madagascar – 3,300 tonnes.
- Papua New Guinea – 3,100 tonnes.
- Canada – 3,000 tonnes.
Which country has most cobalt?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Major countries based on cobalt reserves 2021 The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the largest cobalt reserves in the world, at some 3.5 million metric tons as of 2021.
What can replace cobalt in batteries?
Manganese-based batteries are safer than cobalt-based batteries. In addition to exploitation, child-labor, and corruption, cobalt mining causes vast environmental damage.
What lithium company is Elon Musk going to buy?
Tesla has lithium supply deals with Ganfeng Lithium Co, Livent Corp and Albemarle Corp, among others. The company’s lithium supply deal with Piedmont Lithium Inc PLL. O was put on hold last year. Tesla has nickel supply deals with Vale and Talon Metals Corp.