Fine‐Grained and Nanostructured AgPbmSbTem+2 Alloys with High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit at Medium Temperature. Issue 2 (16th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Zong‐Yue; Li, Jing‐Feng
• Is Part Of: Advanced energy materials. Volume 4:Issue 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2013-09-16
• Subjects: Energy harvesting -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Materials -- Periodicals; Photovoltaics -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Thermoelectric materials -- Periodicals; 621.31
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201300937
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1614-6832

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>AgPb_{<italic>m</italic>}SbTe_{<italic>m</italic>+2} (abbreviated as LAST) has received tremendous attention as a promising thermoelectric material at medium temperature. It can be synthesized by a simple process combining mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). This work reveals that the thermoelectric figure of merit (<italic>ZT</italic> value) of LAST can be increased by 50%, benefiting from enhanced electrical conductivity and thermopower due to refined grains and from nanostructuring realized by repeating the milling and SPS processes. This modified process and further compositional optimization enables <italic>ZT</italic> values of the LAST alloys up to 1.54 at 723 K. This supports the potential of the LAST alloy as a promising medium‐temperature thermoelectric material and reveals the validity of <italic>ZT</italic> enhancement by a simple microstructural refining and nanostructuring method.</p> </abstract>