• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.135-142
• /
• 2018

In this study, we have fabricated n-type $Bi_2Te_{2.85}Se_{0.15}$ compounds by different processing routes such as crushing, milling and mixing respectively. Subsequently, the obtained powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The phase crystallinity of bulk samples were identified using X-ray diffraction technique. Powder morphology and fracture surface of bulk samples were observed using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity values were significantly increased for the milling sample than crushing and mixing samples. As a result, the maximum power factor was obtained $2.4mW/mK^2$, which is thrice than that of crushing process. The maximum figure of merit (ZT) of 0.77 was achieved at 400 K for the milling sample. Furthermore, relatively high hardness and density values were noticed for the different processed samples.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.30 no.7
• /
• pp.454-458
• /
• 2017

$Bi_2Te_3$-based alloys have been intensively investigated as active materials for thermoelectric power generation devices from low-temperature (< $250^{\circ}C$) waste heat. In the present study, we fabricated Pb-doped, p-type $Bi_{0.48}Sb_{1.52}Te_3$ polycrystalline bulks by using meltsolidification and spark plasma sintering techniques, and evaluated their thermoelectric transport properties in an effort to develop optimized composition for low-temperature power generation applications. The electronic and thermal transport properties of $Bi_{0.48}Sb_{1.52}Te_3$ could be manipulated by Pb doping. As a result, the temperature for a peak thermoelectric performance (zT) gradually shifted toward higher temperatures with Pb content, suggesting that thermoelectric power generation efficiency can be enhanced by controlled Pb doping.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.115-121
• /
• 2017

In this work, p-type Bi-Sb-Te alloys powders are prepared using gas atomization, a mass production powder preparation method involving rapid solidification. To study the effect of the sintering temperature on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties, gas-atomized powders are consolidated at different temperatures (623, 703, and 743 K) using spark plasma sintering. The crystal structures of the gas-atomized powders and sintered bulks are identified using an X-ray diffraction technique. Texture analysis by electron backscatter diffraction reveals that the grains are randomly oriented in the entire matrix, and no preferred orientation in any unique direction is observed. The hardness values decrease with increasing sintering temperature owing to a decrease in grain size. The conductivity increases gradually with increasing sintering temperature, whereas the Seebeck coefficient decreases owing to increases in the carrier mobility with grain size. The lowest thermal conductivity is obtained for the bulk sintered at a low temperature (603 K), mainly because of its fine-grained microstructure. A peak ZT of 1.06 is achieved for the sample sintered at 703 K owing to its moderate electrical conductivity and sustainable thermal conductivity.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.236-242
• /
• 2024

The development of thermoelectric (TE) materials to replace Bi₂Te₃ alloys is emerging as a hot issue with the potential for wider practical applications. In particular, layered Zintl-phase materials, which can appropriately control carrier and phonon transport behaviors, are being considered as promising candidates. However, limited data have been reported on the thermoelectric properties of metal-Sb materials that can be transformed into layered materials through the insertion of cations. In this study, we synthesized FeSb and MnSb, which are used as base materials for advanced thermoelectric materials. They were confirmed as single-phase materials by analyzing X-ray diffraction patterns. Based on electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity of both materials characterized as a function of temperature, the zT values of MnSb and FeSb were calculated to be 0.00119 and 0.00026, respectively. These properties provide a fundamental data for developing layered Zintl-phase materials with alkali/alkaline earth metal insertions.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.108-114
• /
• 2017

We fabricate fine (<$20{\mu}m$) powders of $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ alloys using a large-scale production method and subsequently consolidate them at temperatures of 573, 623, and 673 K using a spark plasma sintering process. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermoelectric properties are investigated for each sintering temperature. The microstructural features of both the powders and bulks are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and the crystal structures are analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The grain size increases with increasing sintering temperature from 573 to 673 K. In addition, the mechanical properties increase significantly with decreasing sintering temperature owing to an increase in grain boundaries. The results indicate that the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient ($217{\mu}V/K$) of the sample sintered at 673 K increase simultaneously owing to decreased carrier concentration and increased mobility. As a result, a high ZT value of 0.92 at 300 K is achieved. According to the results, a sintering temperature of 673 K is preferable for consolidation of fine (<$20{\mu}m$) powders.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2013

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect is known to be the physical origin for various exotic magnetic phenomena in the low-dimensional systems. Recently, SOC also draws lots of attention in the study on magnetically doped thermoelectric alloys to determine their properties as the thermoelectric application as well as the topological insulator via the exact electronic structures determination near the Fermi level. In this research, aiming to investigate the spin-orbit coupling effect on the structural properties such as the lattice constants and the bulk modulus of the most widely investigated thermoelectric host material, $Bi_2Te_3$, we carried out the first-principles electronic structure calculation using the all-electron FLAPW (full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave) method. Employing both the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), the structural optimization is achieved by varying the in-plane lattice constant fixing the perpendicular lattice constant and vice versa, to find that the SOC effect increases the equilibrium lattices slightly in both directions while it markedly reduces the bulk modulus value implying the strong orientational dependence, which are attributed to the material's intrinsic structural anisotropy.