Enhanced thermoelectric performance and novel nanopores in AgSbTe{sub 2} prepared by melt spinning

Journal Article · Sat Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2010.10.036· OSTI ID:21494179

Du, Baoli ^[1]; Li, Han; Xu, Jingjing ^[1]; Tang, Xinfeng ^[1]; Uher, Ctirad ^[2]

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1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)
2. Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

We report a melt-spinning spark-plasma-sintering synthesis process of the polycrystalline p-type material composed of AgSbTe{sub 2} coarse grains and evenly formed 5-10 nm pores that occur primarily on the surface of matrix grains. The formation mechanism of nanopores and their influences on the thermoelectric properties have been studied and correlated. Microstructure analysis shows that the as-prepared sample can be regarded as a nanocomposite of matrix and in situ generated nanopores evenly coated on matrix grains. For the single-phase component and the possible energy-filter effect caused by the nanopores, the electrical transport properties are improved. Moreover, the thermal conductivity is significantly reduced by strong phonon scattering effect resulted from the nanopores. The thermoelectric performance of the as prepared sample enhances greatly and a ZT of 1.65 at 570 K is achieved, increasing{approx}200% compared with the sample prepared by traditional melt and slow-cooling method. -- Graphical abstract: Representative nanostructure of AgSbTe{sub 2} sample (a) ribbons obtained after melt spinning (b) bulk AgSbTe{sub 2} material obtained after spark plasma sintering. Display Omitted

• OSTI ID: 21494179
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 184, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2010.10.036; PII: S0022-4596(10)00493-7; Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ANTIMONY TELLURIDES
COOLING
FILTERS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NANOSTRUCTURES
PERFORMANCE
PHONONS
PLASMA
POLYCRYSTALS
SCATTERING
SILVER TELLURIDES
SINTERING
SOLIDIFICATION
SURFACES
SYNTHESIS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTALS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
FABRICATION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUASI PARTICLES
SILVER COMPOUNDS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS