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Bernard Tanguy, November 2024

 Via Mesiano, 77 - 38123 Trento
tanguy.bernard@unitn.it

PhD Student
PhD project: Multifunctional materials for sustainable thin-film thermoelectric devices

Tanguy-circ

Curriculum:

 I earned my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Trento in 2020, with a thesis on “Tandem Solar Cells” that catalysed my interest in innovative energy solutions. I then pursued a master’s in Energy Engineering through a inter-university program between the Free University of Bolzano and the University of Trento, graduating in 2023. During my master’s, I spent a research period at the National University of Malaysia (UKM), where I worked on my dissertation project, “Development and Scale-up of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”. This international experience, guided by Professor Narges Ataollahi, Professor Paolo Scardi, and ChM. Dr. Mohd Sukor Su’ait, played a big role in shaping my commitment to sustainable energy research.
After my master’s, I earned a one-year post-degree scholarship at the University of Trento’s Energy and Materials Laboratory, under the guidance of Professor Paolo Scardi. Here, I focused on sustainable thin-film thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and gained hands-on expertise in developing eco-friendly energy solutions. In November 2024, I began my PhD in the same research group, continuing this line of research. My doctoral research focuses on designing and optimizing sustainable, non-toxic, and cost-effective thin film TEGs, aiming to make real contributions to the field of sustainable energy technology.

 

Links:

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4441-1544
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VeEs_9gAAAAJ&hl=it
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tanguy-Bernard-2
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tanguy-bernard-896b06244

 

1st year

Research activities

During the first year of my PhD, I successfully achieved the primary objective of my research activity: the fabrication of the first functional in-plane thermoelectric generator (TEG) entirely composed of non-toxic and earth-abundant copper-sulphide materials. Specifically, Cu2SnS3 (CTS) was used as p-type component and Cu0.9Ag0.1FeS2 (CAFS) as the n-type component. The work covered the entire process, from the synthesis of raw materials to the realization of the complete working device.
The first step consisted of the preparation of CTS and CAFS nanopowders via high-energy ball milling from elemental precursors. Subsequently, I developed and optimized an ink formulation for spin-coating deposition of both materials as thin films. Once the devices were fabricated, I carried out a complete characterization of the samples. Structural and morphological analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) and Raman spectroscopy. Thermoelectric properties were investigated through Hall effect and Seebeck measurements, while device performance was assessed by current-voltage-power (IVP) analysis. This work has already led to the publication of an article in a Q1 journal.
In the second part of the year, I started exploring new routes to fabricate high-performance TEGs using physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques, such as sputtering and thermal evaporation. For the n-type legs, CAFS is deposited via radio-frequency (RF) sputtering. In parallel, to identify a suitable p-type counterpart with comparable performance, I am optimizing a three-step fabrication strategy consisting of ball milling of the metallic precursors, thermal evaporation, and subsequent sulfurization. These techniques are expected to enhance performance compared to the ink-based deposition route.
Additionally, thanks to collaborations with different research groups, I also contributed to the characterization and analysis of the electrical and thermal properties of different bulk thermoelectric materials. In particular, within the collaboration with the University of Genova, I performed thermoelectric property measurements on skutterudite bulk samples, which resulted in my co-authorship of the articles “Unraveling the structural and thermoelectric properties of the Sn-doped filled skutterudite Smy(FexNi1-x)Sb11.5Sn0.5 (y=0.17-0.34,=0.43-0.64)” and the “The doubly filled skutterudite (La,Sm)y(FexNi1-x)4Sb12 (y=0.19-0.70, x=0.52-0.85): Structural and thermoelectric features”, both published in Journal of Alloys and Compounds (Q1-journal).
For the second year, I plan to further improve the results obtained with both wet and dry processing routes, aiming at the development of a fully sustainable high-performance TEG. This will involve both the optimization of the already studied materials and the exploration of new promising sustainable thermoelectric materials. In this framework, I am already engaged in an ongoing collaboration with the Micro and Nanotechnologies-Photovoltaic Laboratory (MNT-Solar) of the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC, Barcelona) focusing on the fabrication of a fully sustainable high performance thin-film TEG.

Research output

Published papers:
An article entitled: “Sustainable Sulphides for π-Type Planar Thermoelectric Generators” has been accepted for publication and already reviewed in MRS Energy and Sustainability (Q1-journal).
In addition, the CTS-CAFS TEG results were presented at the conference: “Giornate della Termoelettricità 2025” held in Rome.
 

Teaching Activities
During the first year, I supervised a Master’s Degree student for thesis work and provided support to visiting PhD students involved in collaboration activities.

2nd year

Teaching Activities
In the following year, I will serve as teaching tutor for the Bachelor’s Degree course in Environmental Engineering, “Tecnologia dei materiali con Laboratorio di chimica per l’ambiente”

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(+39) 0461 282417
info-energymaterials@unitn.it

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University of Trento

via Mesiano 77

38123 Trento, Italy

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