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High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in p-Type (Bi2Te3)x − (Sb2Te3)1−x Alloys Made from Element-Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering

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Abstract

p-Type (Bi2Te3)x − (Sb2Te3)1−x alloys with high thermoelectric properties were fabricated for waste heat energy recovery by mechanical alloying followed by spark plasma sintering. The samples’ diffraction peaks, such as the (015) positions, were slightly shifted from high to low 2θ angles with decreasing Sb2Te3 content due to the occupation of Sb sites by Bi atoms in the crystal lattice. The electrical conductivity increased with (Sb2Te3) content due to an increase in carrier concentration. The sample with the nominal composition of (Bi2Te3)0.15 + (Sb2Te3)0.85 exhibited a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT of 1.3 ± 0.06 at 400 K, and 1.07 ± 0.06 at 300 K. This enhanced ZT was successfully achieved by increasing (Sb2Te3) content, which reduces intrinsic conduction at higher temperatures by increasing carrier concentration and band gaps. The enhanced thermoelectric performance of the (Bi2Te3)0.15 + (Sb2Te3)0.85 TE materials can provide exceptional benefits for power generation and cooling applications around 400 K.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by ‘Energy Efficiency & Resources Core Technology Program’ of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea (20152020001210). Part of this work also supported by the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) Grant by the Korea Government (MSIP) (No. CRC-15-06-KIGAM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Advanced Materials Engineering and Institute for Rare Metals, Kongju National University, Cheonan, 31080, Republic of Korea

    Babu Madavali, Chul-Hee Lee & Soon-Jik Hong

  2. Liquid Processing and Casting Technology, R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea

    Hyo-Seob Kim

  3. Powder and Ceramics Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science, 797, Changwondaero, Seongsangu, Changwon, Gyeongnam, 51508, Republic of Korea

    Dong-soo Kim

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  1. Babu Madavali
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Correspondence to Soon-Jik Hong.

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Madavali, B., Kim, HS., Lee, CH. et al. High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in p-Type (Bi2Te3)x − (Sb2Te3)1−x Alloys Made from Element-Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering. J. Electron. Mater. 48, 416–424 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-018-6706-7

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