Physorg.com December 27, 2017
Researchers in Japan combined silicon with ytterbium to create ytterbium silicide which is a good electrical conductor, non-toxic and has valence fluctuation that makes it a good TE material at low temperatures. The Yb atoms in YbSi2 occupy crystal planes and the Si atoms form hexagonal sheets between those planes blocking the conduction of heat through the material keeping the thermal conductivity down. They have achieved high power factor of 2.2 mWm-1K-2 at room temperature. The research could help unlock the benefits of TE in everyday technology. Read more.  TECHNICAL ARTICLE
(a) Three-dimensional crystal structure of YbSi2, (b) view along the a-axis, and (c) along the c-axis. Credit: 2017 Kurosaki et al. Phys. Status Solidi RRL 2017, 1700372. doi: 10.1002/pssr.201700372