Zintl phase Yb{sub 1-x}Ca{sub x}Cd{sub 2}Sb{sub 2} with tunable thermoelectric properties induced by cation substitution

Journal Article · Mon Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3327443· OSTI ID:21476386

Qigao, Cao ^[1]; Hui, Zhang; Meibo, Tang; Haohong, Chen; Xinxin, Yang; Jingtai, Zhao ^[1]; Grin, Yuri ^[2]

---

1. Key Laboratory of Transparent Opto-Functional Inorganic Materials of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Shanghai 200050 (China)
2. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, Noethnitzer Str. 40, 01187 Dresden (Germany)

It has been shown previously that the thermoelectric properties of the Zintl phase compound YbCd{sub 2}Sb{sub 2} can be finely tuned via Zn substitution at the Cd-site in the anionic (Cd{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}){sup 2-} framework. Here we report the results of the investigation of isoelectronic substitution of Yb by Ca. The p-type Yb{sub 1-x}Ca{sub x}Cd{sub 2}Sb{sub 2} (0.2{<=}x{<=}0.8) samples have been synthesized via a solid-state reaction followed by suitable cooling, annealing, grinding, and spark plasma sintering densification processes. In samples with x=0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity measurements have been carried out in the temperature range from 300 to 650 K. It is found that the Ca substitution effectively lowers the thermal conductivity for all samples at high temperature, while it significantly increases the Seebeck coefficient. As a result, the dimensionless figure of merit ZT of 0.96 has been attained at 650 K for samples with x=0.4, while the value is 0.78 for the unsubstituted YbCd{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}

• OSTI ID: 21476386
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 107, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3327443; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANNEALING
ANTIMONIDES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CATIONS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
PERFORMANCE
PLASMA
SEEBECK EFFECT
SINTERING
SOLIDS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES
YTTERBIUM COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FABRICATION
HEAT TREATMENTS
IONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES