Thermoelectric performance of ternary Bi–Sb–Ag alloys prepared by mechanical alloying and subsequent pressureless sintering

• Published in: The Journal of physics and chemistry of solids 2007-07, Vol.68 (7), p.1400-1404
• Main Authors: HUANG, Rong-Jin, SONG, Chun-Mei, CAI, Fang-Shuo, LI, Lai-Feng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A. Alloys; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; D. Electrical properties; D. Thermal conductivity; Electronic conduction in metals and alloys; Electronic transport in condensed matter; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Physics
• ISSN: 0022-3697; 1879-2553
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2007.02.047

The alloys with the general formula of Bi 85Sb 15− x Ag x ( x=0, 1, 3, 5, 7) were prepared by mechanical alloying and subsequent pressureless sintering (Bi 85Sb 15 alloy was used for comparison). Their transport properties involving electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity had been investigated in the temperature range of 80–300 K. The maximum absolute value of Seebeck coefficient (120 μV/K) was found at 160 K in the alloy Bi 85Sb 15− x Ag x ( x=3). The figure-of-merit of alloy Bi 85Sb 15− x Ag x ( x=1) reached a maximum value of 2.16×10 −3 K −1 at 219 K, which is as large again as that of the reference sample Bi 85Sb 15.