Effect of texturing on thermal, electric and elastic properties of MoAlB, Fe₂AlB₂, and Mn₂AlB₂

Herein, MoAlB, Fe₂AlB₂, and Mn₂AlB₂ with textured microstructures were sinter-forged from pre-reacted preforms in a hot press at 1400, 1200, and 1050 °C, respectively. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the textured nature and high phase purities. The effect of texturing on the thermoelectric properties was evaluated by measuring thermal diffusivities, electrical resistivities, and Seebeck coefficients on the sinter-forged samples and those of less textured, reactively hot-pressed samples. While the thermoelectric properties were essentially isotropic for sinter-forged Fe₂AlB₂ and Mn₂AlB₂, differences included electron-dominated thermal transport in Fe₂AlB₂ and phonon-dominated transport in Mn₂AlB₂ over most of the 323–873 K range. Magnetic phase transitions at 281 K in Fe₂AlB₂ and 308 K in Mn₂AlB₂ were identified in electrical resistivity measurements. MoAlB was found to have anisotropic thermoelectric properties, with notably small relative Seebeck coefficients ranging from − 2 μV/K at 323 K and increasing to 5 μV/K at 873 K.