Composites of zinc phosphate glass/metal: New materials for thermoelectricity and solar cell devices

This work reports a study on thermoelectricity in new composites zinc-phosphate glasses/cobalt. The obtained Seebeck coefficient (S) changes a sign from a high positive to negative values below and above the percolation threshold, respectively, showing p-n type conducting phase transition. Thus, the Seebeck coefficient measurements above the percolation threshold as function of temperature showed respectively an original conducting to insulating phase transition at T=420K, linked with a high negative value of S≤-8000μV/K, giving rise to the highest power factor PF=σS²≈8×10^-3W.m^-1.K^-2. The thermal measurements confirm this transition and indicate a dilation of matrix around this temperature. Such materials with high Seebeck coefficient could be used as new materials for thermoelectricity applications. In addition, the p-n transition in these materials my fined useful application in p-n junction devices.