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Effects of Sb Substitution by Sn on the Thermoelectric Properties of ZrCoSb

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Abstract

ZrCoSb1−x Sn x (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.35) half-Heusler (HH) samples were prepared by arc melting, ball milling and then hot-pressing. X-ray diffraction analysis results showed that all samples were crystallized in a HH phase. Thermoelectric (TE) properties of ZrCoSb1−x Sn x were measured from room temperature (RT) to 973 K. The Seebeck coefficient changed from negative to positive after substituting Sb with Sn, indicating the occurrence of conduction type transformation in ZrCoSb-based HH compounds. At the same time, the Seebeck coefficient decreased with increasing Sn substitution, and the electrical conductivity increased obviously with Sn addition when x ≤ 0.3. The lattice thermal conductivity of Sn-substituted samples was reduced dramatically because of the stronger phonon scattering by the strain field fluctuation induced by Sn replacement of Sb. Finally, as a result of the Sn substitution, a peak ZT of 0.52 was reached at 973 K in the ZrCoSb0.7Sn0.3 sample.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Fluid and Power Machinery of Ministry of Education, Center for Advanced Materials and Energy, Xihua University, Chengdu, 610039, China

    Bo Yuan, Bo Wang, Lihong Huang, Xiaobo Lei & Qinyong Zhang

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Lidong Zhao

  3. Clean Energy Material and Engineering Center, School of Microelectronics and Solid-State Electronics, University of Electric Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China

    Chao Wang

Authors
  1. Bo Yuan
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  2. Bo Wang
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  3. Lihong Huang
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  4. Xiaobo Lei
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  5. Lidong Zhao
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  6. Chao Wang
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  7. Qinyong Zhang
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Correspondence to Chao Wang or Qinyong Zhang.

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Yuan, B., Wang, B., Huang, L. et al. Effects of Sb Substitution by Sn on the Thermoelectric Properties of ZrCoSb. J. Electron. Mater. 46, 3076–3082 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-016-5168-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-016-5168-z

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