High-Performance of Half-Heusler MNiSn (M=Hf,Zr) Single-Phase Thermoelectric Alloys Fabricated using Optical Floating Zone Melting

2005 ◽  
Vol 886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshisato Kimura ◽  
Tomoya Kuji ◽  
Akihisa Zama ◽  
Yasufumi Shibata ◽  
Yoshinao Mishima
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Zone Melting ◽  
Floating Zone ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Micro Cracks ◽  
Solidification Defects ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACTWe have succeeded to grow almost single-phase of Half-Heusler intermetallic compounds MNiSn, where M = (Hfx,Zr1−x) and x varies from 0 to 1, for the first time by directional solidification using optical floating zone melting (OFZ). Thermoelectric power and electrical resistivity can be dramatically improved since OFZ process effectively reduces solidification defects such as micro-cracks and cavities as well as unfavorable coexisting phases. Dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, of OFZ (Hf,Zr)NiSn alloys can be improved effectively by lowering the lattice thermal conductivity through the solid solution effects due to the substitution of Hf and Zr with each other. The maximum ZT value of 0.9 is achieved in (Hf0.5Zr0.5)NiSn at 963 K.

Effects of Ce filling fraction and Fe content on the thermoelectric properties of Co-rich CeyFexCo4−xSb12

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 837-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinfeng Tang ◽  
Lidong Chen ◽  
Takashi Goto ◽  
Toshio Hirai
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermoelectric Properties ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Hole Concentration ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure Of Merit ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Filling Fraction ◽  
Fe Content

Single-phase filled skutterudite compounds, CeyFexCo4−xSb12 (x = 0 to 3.0, y = 0 to 0.74), were synthesized by a melting method. The effects of Fe content and Ce filling fraction on the thermoelectric properties of CeyFexCo4−xSb12 were investigated. The lattice thermal conductivity of Ce-saturated CeyFexCo4−xSb12, y being at the maximum corresponding to x, decreased with increasing Fe content (x) and reached its minimum at about x = 1.5. When x was 1.5, lattice thermal conductivity decreased with increasing Ce filling fraction till y = 0.3 and then began to increase after reaching the minimum at y = 0.3. Hole concentration and electrical conductivity of Cey Fe1.5Co2.5Sb12 decreased with increasing Ce filling fraction. The Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing Ce filling fraction. The greatest dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit T value of 1.1 was obtained at 750 K for the composition of Ce0.28Fe1.52Co2.48Sb12.

Microstructure Control of Co3AlC-Base Heat Resistant Alloys Using Optical Floating Zone Melting

2005 ◽  
Vol 475-479 ◽  
pp. 833-836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshisato Kimura ◽  
Kiichi Sakai ◽  
Shinya Teramoto ◽  
Yoshinao Mishima
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Zone Melting ◽  
Floating Zone ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Microstructure Control ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Elevated Temperature Strength ◽  
Heat Resistant ◽  
First Time

Aiming for further improvement of mechanical properties of Co3AlC-based heat resistant alloys, microstructure control was conducted using optical floating zone (OFZ) melting. Unidirectional solidification was performed to align Co3AlC/a(Co) two-phase eutectic microstructure. Co3AlC single phase poly-crystal alloys were successfully fabricated for the first time by taking advantage of OFZ. Mechanical properties were evaluated for selected alloys by compression tests at ambient temperature, 1073 K and 1273 K. Excellent elevated temperature strength is achieved in Co3AlC single phase alloys and ductility is sufficiently improved in Co3AlC/a(Co) two-phase alloys.

Thermal Conductivity of Zn4−xCdxSb3 Solid Solutions

1997 ◽  
Vol 478 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Caillat ◽  
A. Borshchevsky ◽  
J. -P. Fleurial
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure Of Merit ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Jet Propulsion ◽  
P Type ◽  
Electrical Conductors

Abstractβ-Zn4Sb3 was recently identified at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a new high performance p-type thermoelectric material with a maximum dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of 1.4 at a temperature of 673K. A usual approach, used for many state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials, to further improve ZT values is to alloy β-Zn4Sb3 with isostructural compounds because of the expected decrease in lattice thermal conductivity. We have grown Zn4−xCdxSb3 crystals with 0.2≤x<1.2 and measured their thermal conductivity from 10 to 500K. The thermal conductivity values of Zn4−xCdxSb3 alloys are significantly lower than those measured for β-Zn4Sb3 and are comparable to its calculated minimum thermal conductivity. A strong atomic disorder is believed to be primarily at the origin of the very low thermal conductivity of these materials which are also fairly good electrical conductors and are therefore excellent candidates for thermoelectric applications.

Defect Clustering and Nanostructure Formation in PbTe-based Bulk Thermoelectrics

2007 ◽  
Vol 1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khang Hoang ◽  
S. D. Mahanti
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Phonon Scattering ◽  
Pair Interaction ◽  
Interaction Energies ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Ionic Model ◽  
Pb Ions ◽  
Mc Simulation

AbstractIn recent years, LAST-m (AgPbmSbTem+2) and related materials have emerged as potential high performance high temperature thermoelectrics. One example is LAST-18. When optimally doped, this compound has thermoelectric figure of merit ZT=1.7 at 700K. This large ZT is most likely due to the low lattice thermal conductivity, caused by phonon scattering from nanostructures. These nanostructures involve clustering and ordering of Ag, Sb, and Pb ions. The origin of these nanostructures has been studied using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of an ionic model and ab initio studies of pair interaction energies. Effects of these substitutions on the band structure near the gap and their implications on transport properties are briefly discussed.

Phase Stability and Thermoelectric Properties of Half-Heusler Compounds (Ti,M)NiSn (M = Zr, Hf)

2009 ◽  
Vol 1218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Kenjo ◽  
Yoshisato Kimura ◽  
Yoshinao Mishima
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Properties ◽  
Single Phase ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Phonon Scattering ◽  
Solubility Limit ◽  
Zone Melting ◽  
Heusler Compounds ◽  
Floating Zone ◽  
Heusler Phase ◽  
Ti Addition

AbstractAiming to improve thermoelectric properties of half-Heusler compounds MNiSn (M = Ti, Zr, Hf), phase equilibria in the (Ti,M)NiSn systems have been investigated focusing on the half-Heusler phase separation between TiNiSn and ZrNiSn, TiNiSn and HfNiSn. Solubility limit of an element M in each half-Heusler phase was determined by XRD and EPMA. Nearly single phase alloys were fabricated by the directional solidification using optical floating zone melting method to evaluate intrinsic thermoelectric properties of the alloys. Lattice thermal conductivity can be reduced in (Ti,M)NiSn alloys by phonon scattering due to the solid solution effect of M site substitution. Moreover, electrical properties can be enhanced by the Ti addition in (Ti,Zr)NiSn alloys. Among present MNiSn alloys, (Ti0.15,Zr0.85)NiSn alloy has the highest power factor of 5.3 mWm-1K-2 at around 745 K.

Thermoelectric Properties of CoSb3-based Skutterudite Compounds

2010 ◽  
Vol 1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adul Harnwunggmoung ◽  
Ken Kurosaki ◽  
Hiroaki Muta ◽  
Shinsuke Yamanaka
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermoelectric Properties ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Filling Ratio ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure Of Merit ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Alloy Scattering ◽  
Skutterudite Compound

AbstractCoSb3 is known as a skutterudite compound that could exhibit high thermoelectric figure of merit. However, the thermal conductivity of CoSb3 is relatively high. In order to enhance the thermoelectric performance of this compound, we tried to reduce the thermal conductivity of CoSb3 by substitution of Rh for Co and by Tl-filling into the voids. The polycrystalline samples of (Co,Rh)Sb3 and Tl-filled CoSb3 were prepared and the thermoelectric properties such as the Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity were measured in the temperature range from room temperature to 750 K. The Rh substitution for Co reduced the lattice thermal conductivity, due to the alloy scattering effect. The minimum value of the lattice thermal conductivity was 4 Wm-1K-1 at 750 K obtained for (Co0.7Rh0.3)Sb3. Also the lattice thermal conductivity rapidly decreased with increasing the Tl-filling ratio. T10.25Co4Sb12 exhibited the best ZT values; the maximum ZT was 0.9 obtained at 600 K.

Improved thermoelectric efficiency in p-type ZnSb through Zn deficiency

2015 ◽  
Vol 08 (02) ◽  
pp. 1550028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qilong Guo ◽  
Sijun Luo
Keyword(s):  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Hole Concentration ◽  
Zn Deficiency ◽  
Thermoelectric Efficiency ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Pristine Sample ◽  
Zn Content ◽  
P Type ◽  
Content Regulation

We herein report a feasible approach to improve the thermoelectric performance of p-type ZnSb compound by Zn content regulation. It is found that Zn vacancies formed by Zn deficiency not only efficiently enhance the electrical conductivity due to the improved hole concentration but also markedly lower the lattice thermal conductivity on account of the reinforced point defect scattering of phonons. The ZnSb compound with a nominal 3 mol.% Zn deficiency shows a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of ~ 0.8 at 700 K which is a ~ 60% improvement over the pristine sample. The strategies of further enhancing the performance of ZnSb -based material have been discussed.

Vacancy Phonon Scattering and Thermoelectric Properties in In2Te3–SnTe Compounds

2010 ◽  
Vol 650 ◽  
pp. 126-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Fu ◽  
Peng Zhan Ying ◽  
J.L. Cui ◽  
Y.M. Yan ◽  
X.J. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Thermoelectric Properties ◽  
Point Defects ◽  
Figure Of Merit ◽  
Lattice Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Phonon Scattering ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Thermoelectric Figure ◽  
Solid Solution Formation ◽  
Solution Formation

Solid solution formation is a common and effective way to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity for thermoelectric materials because of additional phonon scattering by point defects and grain boundaries. In the present work we prepared In2Te3–SnTe compounds using a mild solidification technique and evaluated their thermoelectric properties in the temperature range from 318705 K. Measurements reveal that the transport properties are strongly dependent on the chemical composition  In2Te3 content, and lattice thermal conductivity significantly reduces above a minimum In2Te3 concentration, which can possibly be explained by an introduction of the vacancy on the indium sublattice and periodical vacancy planes. The highest thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of 0.19 can be achieved at 705 K, and a big improvement of In2Te3 based alloys would be expected if a proper optimization to the chemical compositions and structures were made.

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