High Temperature Thermoelectric Properties of Yb14MnSb11 Prepared from Reaction of MnSb with the Elements
- Department of Chemistry, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
- Thermal Energy Conversion Technologies Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 277-207, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
Compounds of the Yb14MnSb11 structure type are the highest efficiency bulk p-type materials for high temperature thermoelectric applications, with reported figures of merit (ZTs) as high as ~1.3 at 1275 K. Further optimization of ZT for this structure type is possible with the development of a simple synthetic route. However, this has been difficult to achieve because of the small amount of Mn required compared with Yb and Sb. A simple synthetic route for Yb14MnSb11 has been developed utilizing a combination of ball milling and annealing to produce phase-pure material followed by spark plasma sintering for consolidation. The materials have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction before and after spark plasma sintering. The stoichiometric reaction of Yb, Sb, and MnSb provides phase-pure powder by X-ray diffraction. Upon cycling to temperatures greater than 1272 K, Yb14MnSb11 shows the presence of Yb11Sb10. Additional samples with 5% and 10% excess Mn were also investigated. Adding 5–10% excess Mn does not change the low temperature properties and improves the high temperature ZT, resulting in a ZT of 1.1–1.2 at 1000 K for Yb14Mn1.05Sb11, 30–40% improvement over that of the Sn flux reaction. The increase in ZT is attributed to optimization of the carrier concentration. These results provide a reliable method of bulk synthesis of this Zintl phase and open the way for discovery of new compounds with potential for even higher ZT.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); NEUP
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1210092
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1225062
- Journal Information:
- Chemistry of Materials, Journal Name: Chemistry of Materials Vol. 27 Journal Issue: 16; ISSN 0897-4756
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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