Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T01:46:45.610Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microstructure Investigation of Non-equilibrium Synthesized Filled Skutterudite CeFe4Sb12

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Juan Zhou ,
Qing Jie  and
Qiang Li
Juan Zhou
Affiliation:
[email protected]
Qing Jie
Affiliation:
[email protected]@hotmail.com, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Upton, New York, United States
Qiang Li
Affiliation:
[email protected], Brookhaven National Laboratory, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Upton, New York, United States
Get access

Abstract

We have prepared a variety of filled skutterudites through non-equilibrium synthesis by converting melt-spun ribbons into single phase polycrystalline bulk under pressure. In general, better thermoelectric properties are found in these samples. In this work, we performed microstructure characterization of non-equilibrium synthesized p-type filled skutterudite CeFe4Sb12 by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in order to understand the structural origin of the improved thermoelectric properties. It is found that the non-equilibrium synthesized samples have smaller grain size and cleaner grain boundaries when compared to the samples prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction plus long term annealing. While smaller grain size can help reduce the lattice thermal conductivity, cleaner grain boundaries ensure higher carrier mobility and subsequently, higher electrical conductivity at the application temperatures.

Keywords

microstructurethermoelectrictransmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1267: Symposium DD – Thermoelectric Materials 2010-Growth, Properties, Novel Characterization Methods and Applications , 2010 , 1267-DD05-25
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Goldsmid, H. J. Thermoelectric Refrigeration. 1964, New York: Plenum Press.10.1007/978-1-4899-5723-8Google Scholar
2 Venkatasubramanian, R. et al. , Thin-film thermoelectric devices with high roomtemperature figures of merit. Nature 2001. 413(6856): p. 597–602.Google Scholar
3 Ravich, Yu. I. Efimova, B. A. and Smirnov, I.A. Semiconducting Lead Chalcogenides, ed. Stil'bans, L.S.. 1970, New York: Plenum Press.10.1007/978-1-4684-8607-0Google Scholar
4 Skrabek, E. A. and Trimmer, D. S. Handbook of Thermoelectrics, ed. Rowe, D.M.. 1995, Boca Raton: CRC Press.Google Scholar
5 Yang, J. Potential Applications of Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery in the Automotive Industry. International Conference on Thermoelectrics, 2005: p. 155.Google Scholar
6 Yang, J. and Caillat, T. Thermoelectric Materials for Space and Automotive Power Generation. MRS Bulletin, 2006. 31: p. 224–229.10.1557/mrs2006.49Google Scholar
7 Sales, B. C. Mandrus, D. and Williams, R. K. Filled skutterudite antimonides: A new class of thermoelectric materials. Science 1996. 272(5266): p. 1325–1328.Google Scholar
8 Li, Q. Lin, Z. W. and Zhou, J. Thermoelectric Materials with Potential High Power Factors for Electricity Generation. Journal of Electronic Materials, 2009. 38(7): p. 1268–1272.10.1007/s11664-008-0628-8Google Scholar
9 Li, H. et al. , Preparation and thermoelectric properties of high-performance Sb additional Yb0.2CoSb12+y bulk materials with nanostructures. Applied Physics Letters, 2008. 92: p. 202114.10.1063/1.2936277Google Scholar