Superspace Group Approach to the Crystal Structure of Thermoelectric Higher Manganese Silicides MnSi

Abstract

Thermoelectric (TE) materials directly convert waste heat into electricity based on the Seebeck effect. This process itself yields no extra gas, noise, or vibration, and it is thus recognized as a clean power generator for next decades. Currently, large amounts of waste heat, ranging from <100 ◦C (PCs, TVs, etc.) to ∼1000 ◦C (power stations, incinerators, etc.), are emitted into the environment, but some of which can be recovered as electricity by simply placing TE materials on the waste heat sources. Of the waste heat, exhaust gases from automobiles account for a total energy of 460 Pcal (4.6 ×1017 cal) per year in Japan (Terasaki, 2003) and if we can recover 10% of this energy, the total generated electricity would equate to that of a typical thermal power station.