The microstructure network and thermoelectric properties of bulk (Bi,Sb)2Te3

Wenjie Xie; Dale A. Hitchcock; Hye J. Kang; Jian He; Xinfeng Tang; Mark Laver; Boualem Hammouda

doi:10.1063/1.4752110

The microstructure network and thermoelectric properties of bulk (Bi,Sb)₂Te₃

Wenjie Xie, Dale A. Hitchcock, Hye J. Kang, Jian He, Xinfeng Tang, Mark Laver, Boualem Hammouda

Department of Physics

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Abstract

We report small-angle neutron scattering studies on the microstructure network in bulk (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 synthesized by the melt-spinning (MS) and the spark-plasma-sintering (SPS) process. We find that rough interfaces of multiscale microstructures generated by the MS are responsible for the large reduction of both lattice thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. Our study also finds that subsequent SPS forms a microstructure network of similar to 10 nm thick lamellae and smooth interfaces between them. This nanoscale microstructure network with smooth interfaces increases electrical conductivity while keeping a low thermal conductivity, making it an ideal microstructure for high thermoelectric efficiency.

Original language	English
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	101
Issue number	11
Pages (from-to)	-
ISSN	0003-6951
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4752110
Publication status	Published - 2012

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title = "The microstructure network and thermoelectric properties of bulk (Bi,Sb)2Te3",

abstract = "We report small-angle neutron scattering studies on the microstructure network in bulk (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 synthesized by the melt-spinning (MS) and the spark-plasma-sintering (SPS) process. We find that rough interfaces of multiscale microstructures generated by the MS are responsible for the large reduction of both lattice thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. Our study also finds that subsequent SPS forms a microstructure network of similar to 10 nm thick lamellae and smooth interfaces between them. This nanoscale microstructure network with smooth interfaces increases electrical conductivity while keeping a low thermal conductivity, making it an ideal microstructure for high thermoelectric efficiency. ",

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AU - Xie, Wenjie

AU - Hitchcock, Dale A.

AU - Kang, Hye J.

AU - He, Jian

AU - Tang, Xinfeng

AU - Laver, Mark

AU - Hammouda, Boualem

PY - 2012

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AB - We report small-angle neutron scattering studies on the microstructure network in bulk (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 synthesized by the melt-spinning (MS) and the spark-plasma-sintering (SPS) process. We find that rough interfaces of multiscale microstructures generated by the MS are responsible for the large reduction of both lattice thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. Our study also finds that subsequent SPS forms a microstructure network of similar to 10 nm thick lamellae and smooth interfaces between them. This nanoscale microstructure network with smooth interfaces increases electrical conductivity while keeping a low thermal conductivity, making it an ideal microstructure for high thermoelectric efficiency.

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