Controlling metallurgical phase separation reactions of the Ge 0.87Pb0.13Te alloy for high thermoelectric performance

Yaniv Gelbstein, Joseph Davidow, Steven N. Girard, Duck Young Chung, Mercouri Kanatzidis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

208 Scopus citations

Abstract

We demonstrate the potential of metallurgical controlling of the phase separation reaction, by means of spark plasma sintering consolidation and subsequently controlled heat treatments sequence, for enhancement the thermoelectric properties of the p-type Ge0.87Pb0.13Te composition. Very high ZTs of up to ∼2, attributed to the nucleation of sub-micron phase separation domains and to comparable sized twinning and dislocation networks features, were observed. Based on the experimentally measured transport properties, combined with the previously reported phase separated n-type (Pb0.95Sn0.05Te)0.92(PbS) 0.08 composition, a maximal efficiency value of ∼11.5% was theoretically calculated. These ZT and efficiency values are among the highest reported for single composition non-segmented bulk material legs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)815-820
Number of pages6
JournalAdvanced Energy Materials
Volume3
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jun 2013

Keywords

  • GeTe
  • PbTe
  • phase separation
  • thermoelectric

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • General Materials Science

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