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Microstructure and thermoelectric performance evaluation of p-type (Bi, Sb)2Te3 materials synthesized using mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering process

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Abstract

In this paper, three p-type thermoelectric compounds, namely Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3, Bi0.3Sb1.7Te3, and Bi0.2Sb1.8Te3 were manufactured by mechanical milling and spark plasma sintering method. The effects of chemical composition on microstructural and thermoelectric properties were investigated. In this order, Bi, Te, and Sb powders with different contents were mechanically milled for 6 hours. Then, they were consolidated using a spark plasma sintering process (SPS) at 400 °C under 60 MPa pressure. The phase composition was analyzed using XRD with Cu-Kα radiation. The microstructural characterization of the specimens was performed using scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, thermoelectric properties of the samples, including the Seebeck coefficient, electrical and thermal conductivity, power factor, and ZT were determined. Analysis of XRD patterns of fabricated compositions indicated that a single phase with a rhombohedral lattice structure was synthesized in all conditions. In addition, SEM results showed an integrated structure with a few scattered micropores. The thermoelectric results confirmed that Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 demonstrates the lowest thermal conductivity (0.85 W/m K), the highest electrical conductivity (4.48 S/cm), and the maximum figure of merit (1.03 × 10−2) at room temperature. Therefore, it is the best option among the fabricated compounds to be utilized as thermoelectric materials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the support from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM) under the research scheme No. 3/48155. Moreover, assistance of Prof. Muhammet S. Toprak and Mr. Bejan Hamawandi, from the Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, and Sedat Ballikaya from the Department of Physics, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey are widely acknowledged.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, 9177948974, Mashhad, Iran

    Hamta Mansouri, Seyed Abdolkarim Sajjadi, Abolfazl Babakhani & Yasaman Saberi

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Correspondence to Seyed Abdolkarim Sajjadi.

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Mansouri, H., Sajjadi, S.A., Babakhani, A. et al. Microstructure and thermoelectric performance evaluation of p-type (Bi, Sb)2Te3 materials synthesized using mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering process. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 32, 9858–9871 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-05645-8

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