In Situ TEM Studies of Nanostructured Thermoelectric Materials: An Application to Mg-Doped Zn 4 Sb 3 Alloy

We demonstrate an advanced approach using state of the art in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to understand the interplay between nanostructures and thermoelectric (TE) properties of high-performance Mg-doped Zn Sb TE systems. By using the technique, microstructure and crystal evolutions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemphyschem 2018-01, Vol.19 (1), p.108-115
Main Authors: Ngo, Duc-The, Hung, Le Thanh, Van Nong, Ngo
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We demonstrate an advanced approach using state of the art in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to understand the interplay between nanostructures and thermoelectric (TE) properties of high-performance Mg-doped Zn Sb TE systems. By using the technique, microstructure and crystal evolutions of TE material have been dynamically captured as a function of temperature from 300 K to 573 K. On heating, we have clearly observed precipitation and growth of a Zn-rich secondary phase as nanoinclusions in the matrix of primary Zn Sb phase. Elemental mapping by STEM-EDX spectroscopy reveals enrichment of Zn in the secondary Zn Sb nanoinclusions during the thermal processing without decomposition. Such nanostructures strongly enhances phonon scattering, resulting in a decrease in the thermal conductivity leading to a zT value of 1.4 at 718 K.
ISSN:1439-4235
1439-7641
DOI:10.1002/cphc.201700930