Increased electrical conductivity in fine-grained (Zr,Hf)NiSn based thermoelectric materials with nanoscale precipitates

Han Hui Xie; Cui Yu; Tie Jun Zhu; Chen Guang Fu; G. Jeffrey Snyder; Xin Bing Zhao

doi:10.1063/1.4730436

Increased electrical conductivity in fine-grained (Zr,Hf)NiSn based thermoelectric materials with nanoscale precipitates

Han Hui Xie, Cui Yu, Tie Jun Zhu^*, Chen Guang Fu, G. Jeffrey Snyder, Xin Bing Zhao

^*Corresponding author for this work

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Grain refinement has been conducted to reduce the thermal conductivity and improve the thermoelectric performance of the (Zr,Hf)NiSn based half-Heusler alloys. Nanoscale in situ precipitates were found embedded in the matrix with submicron grains. The lattice thermal conductivity was decreased due to the enhanced boundary scattering of phonons. The increased carrier concentration and electrical conductivity were observed compared to the coarse-grained alloys, which is discussed in relation to the existence of nanoscale precipitates, the effect of antisite defects, and composition change. It is suggested that the nanoscale precipitates play a significant role in the observed electrical conductivity increase.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	254104
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	100
Issue number	25
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4730436
State	Published - Jun 18 2012

Funding

We acknowledge the use of EPMA in the Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, State Oceanic Administration, China. T.J.Z. would like to thank Dr. Yanzhong Pei and Heng Wang from California Institute of Technology for the valuable discussions. The work is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (51171171, 51061120455, and 50971115) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2011QNA4034).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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title = "Increased electrical conductivity in fine-grained (Zr,Hf)NiSn based thermoelectric materials with nanoscale precipitates",

abstract = "Grain refinement has been conducted to reduce the thermal conductivity and improve the thermoelectric performance of the (Zr,Hf)NiSn based half-Heusler alloys. Nanoscale in situ precipitates were found embedded in the matrix with submicron grains. The lattice thermal conductivity was decreased due to the enhanced boundary scattering of phonons. The increased carrier concentration and electrical conductivity were observed compared to the coarse-grained alloys, which is discussed in relation to the existence of nanoscale precipitates, the effect of antisite defects, and composition change. It is suggested that the nanoscale precipitates play a significant role in the observed electrical conductivity increase.",

author = "Xie, {Han Hui} and Cui Yu and Zhu, {Tie Jun} and Fu, {Chen Guang} and {Jeffrey Snyder}, G. and Zhao, {Xin Bing}",

note = "Funding Information: We acknowledge the use of EPMA in the Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, State Oceanic Administration, China. T.J.Z. would like to thank Dr. Yanzhong Pei and Heng Wang from California Institute of Technology for the valuable discussions. The work is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (51171171, 51061120455, and 50971115) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2011QNA4034).",

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T1 - Increased electrical conductivity in fine-grained (Zr,Hf)NiSn based thermoelectric materials with nanoscale precipitates

AU - Xie, Han Hui

AU - Yu, Cui

AU - Zhu, Tie Jun

AU - Fu, Chen Guang

AU - Jeffrey Snyder, G.

AU - Zhao, Xin Bing

N1 - Funding Information: We acknowledge the use of EPMA in the Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, State Oceanic Administration, China. T.J.Z. would like to thank Dr. Yanzhong Pei and Heng Wang from California Institute of Technology for the valuable discussions. The work is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (51171171, 51061120455, and 50971115) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2011QNA4034).

PY - 2012/6/18

Y1 - 2012/6/18

N2 - Grain refinement has been conducted to reduce the thermal conductivity and improve the thermoelectric performance of the (Zr,Hf)NiSn based half-Heusler alloys. Nanoscale in situ precipitates were found embedded in the matrix with submicron grains. The lattice thermal conductivity was decreased due to the enhanced boundary scattering of phonons. The increased carrier concentration and electrical conductivity were observed compared to the coarse-grained alloys, which is discussed in relation to the existence of nanoscale precipitates, the effect of antisite defects, and composition change. It is suggested that the nanoscale precipitates play a significant role in the observed electrical conductivity increase.

AB - Grain refinement has been conducted to reduce the thermal conductivity and improve the thermoelectric performance of the (Zr,Hf)NiSn based half-Heusler alloys. Nanoscale in situ precipitates were found embedded in the matrix with submicron grains. The lattice thermal conductivity was decreased due to the enhanced boundary scattering of phonons. The increased carrier concentration and electrical conductivity were observed compared to the coarse-grained alloys, which is discussed in relation to the existence of nanoscale precipitates, the effect of antisite defects, and composition change. It is suggested that the nanoscale precipitates play a significant role in the observed electrical conductivity increase.

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Increased electrical conductivity in fine-grained (Zr,Hf)NiSn based thermoelectric materials with nanoscale precipitates

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