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RuIn3-xSnx, RuIn3-xZnx, and Ru1-yIn3—new thermoelectrics based on the semiconductor RuIn3

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Abstract

A systematic investigation of the intermetallic phase Ru1-yIn3 (0 ≤ y ≤ 0.025) and its substitution derivatives RuIn3-xSnx and RuIn3-xZnx (x = 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1) is performed. The samples were prepared from a liquid–solid reaction of components with subsequent spark plasma sintering treatment. Ru1-yIn3 exhibits n- and p-type behavior crossing over from low to high temperatures. Substitution of indium by tin or zinc up to 2.5 at.% leads to an increase of the charge carrier concentration, with negative (Sn) or positive (Zn) Seebeck values, respectively. The electrical resistivity was P changed from semiconductor- to metal-like properties by substitution, whereas the thermal conductivity was reduced down to 50% of that of RuIn3. Higher values of the thermoelectric figure of merit were achieved by chemical substitution (RuIn3-xSnx, RuIn3-xZnx), opening up a possibility for tuning the thermoelectric properties in this class of materials.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Dr. U. Burkhardt, Mrs. M. Eckert, and Mrs. S. Kostmann for metallographic preparation and WDXS analysis; Dr. H. Borrmann, Mr. S. Hückmann, and Dr. Y. Prots for X-ray powder diffraction experiments; Dr. G. Auffermann, Mrs. U. Schmidt, Mr. S. Schwinger, and Mrs. A. Völzke for chemical analysis; and Dr. S. Hoffmann, Mr. P. Marasas, and Mrs. S. Scharsach for thermal analysis. For measurements of several physical properties, we also acknowledge the contribution of Mr. R. Koban (LFA) and Mrs. R. Hempel-Weber (ZEM-3). H. Rosner acknowledges SPP 1386 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for financial support.

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  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, 01187, Dresden, Germany

    M. Wagner, R. Cardoso-Gil, N. Oeschler, H. Rosner & Yu. Grin

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  1. M. Wagner
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  2. R. Cardoso-Gil
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  3. N. Oeschler
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  4. H. Rosner
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  5. Yu. Grin
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Correspondence to M. Wagner.

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Wagner, M., Cardoso-Gil, R., Oeschler, N. et al. RuIn3-xSnx, RuIn3-xZnx, and Ru1-yIn3—new thermoelectrics based on the semiconductor RuIn3. Journal of Materials Research 26, 1886–1893 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.153

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