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Microstructure Investigation of Non-equilibrium Synthesized Filled Skutterudite CeFe4Sb12

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Juan Zhou ,
Qing Jie  and
Qiang Li
Juan Zhou
Affiliation:
zhouj@bnl.gov
Qing Jie
Affiliation:
qjie@bnl.govjieqing1978@hotmail.com, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Upton, New York, United States
Qiang Li
Affiliation:
liqiang@bnl.gov, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Upton, New York, United States
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Abstract

We have prepared a variety of filled skutterudites through non-equilibrium synthesis by converting melt-spun ribbons into single phase polycrystalline bulk under pressure. In general, better thermoelectric properties are found in these samples. In this work, we performed microstructure characterization of non-equilibrium synthesized p-type filled skutterudite CeFe4Sb12 by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in order to understand the structural origin of the improved thermoelectric properties. It is found that the non-equilibrium synthesized samples have smaller grain size and cleaner grain boundaries when compared to the samples prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction plus long term annealing. While smaller grain size can help reduce the lattice thermal conductivity, cleaner grain boundaries ensure higher carrier mobility and subsequently, higher electrical conductivity at the application temperatures.

Keywords

microstructurethermoelectrictransmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1267: Symposium DD – Thermoelectric Materials 2010-Growth, Properties, Novel Characterization Methods and Applications , 2010 , 1267-DD05-25
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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