• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.132-138
• /
• 2022

Zintl phase Mg₃Sb₂ is a promising thermoelectric material in medium to high temperature range due to its low band gap energy and characteristic electron-crystal phonon-glass behavior. P-type Mg₃Sb₂ has conventionally exhibited lower thermoelectric properties compared to its n-type counterparts, which have poor electrical conductivity. To address these problems, a small amount of Sn doping was considered in this alloy system. P-type Mg₃Sb₂ was synthesized by controlled melting, pulverizing, and subsequent vacuum hot pressing (VHP) method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate phases and microstructure development during the process. Single phase Mg₃Sb₂ was successfully formed when 16 at.% of Mg was excessively added to the system. Nominal compositions of Mg_3.8Sb_2-xSn_x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.008) were considered in this study. Thermoelectric properties were evaluated in terms of Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity. A peak ZT value ≈ 0.32 was found for the specimen Mg_3.8Sb_1.994Sn_0.006 at 873 K, showing an improved ZT value compared to intrinsic one. Transport properties were also evaluated and discussed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.345-351
• /
• 2008

The effects of the dopant (Mn) ratio on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of $FeSi_2$ alloy were studied in this research. The alloy was fabricated by a combination process of ball milling and high pressure pressing. Structural behavior of the sintered bulks were systematically investigated by XRD, SEM, and optical microscopy. With increasing dopan (Mn) ratio, the density and ${\varepsilon}-FeSi$ phase of the sintered bulks increased and maximum density of 94% was obtained in the 0.07% Mn-doped alloy. The sintered bulks showed fine microstructure of ${\alpha}-Fe_{2}Si_{5}$, ${\varepsilon}-FeSi$ and ${\beta}-FeSi_2$ phase. The semiconducting phase of ${\beta}-FeSi_2$ was transformed from ${\alpha}-Fe_{2}Si_{5}+{\varepsilon}-FeSi$ phase by annealing.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.632-637
• /
• 2000

Thermoelectric conversion properties of commercial Fe-Si2 and Fe-Si alloy ingots prepared by RF inductive furnace were investigated. As sintering temperature increased, density of the specimen increased and the phase transformation from metallic phases ($\varepsilon$-FeSi, ${\alpha}$-Fe2Si5) to semiconducting phase (${\beta}$-FeSi2) occurred more effectively. The FeSi phase was detected even after 100hrs of annealing treatment. For the Fesi1.95∼FeSi2.05 specimens prepared by RF inductive furnace, the thermoelectric property improved as the composition of the specimen approached to stoichiometric composition FeSi2. Electrical conductivity of the specimen increased with increasing temperatures showing typical semiconducting behavior. From the electrical conductivity measurements, activation energy in the intrinsic region (above about 700 K) was calculated to be approximately 0.46 eV. In spite of non-doping, the Seebeck coefficient for every specimen exhibited p-type conduction due to Si deficiency. Its maximum value was located at about 475 K, and then decreased abruptly with increasing temperatures. The power factor was governed by the Seebeck coefficient of the specimen more significantly than by electrical conductivity.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.56 no.11
• /
• pp.822-828
• /
• 2018

P-type Ce/Yb-filled skutterudites were synthesized, and their charge transport and thermoelectric properties were investigated with partial double filling and charge compensation. In the case of $(Ce_{1-z}Yb_z)_{0.8}Fe_4Sb_{12}$ without Co substitution, the marcasite ($FeSb_2$) phase formed alongside the skutterudite phase, but the generation of the marcasite phase was inhibited by increasing Co concentration. The electrical conductivity decreased with increasing temperature, exhibiting degenerate semiconductor behavior. The Hall and Seebeck coefficients were positive, which confirmed that the specimens were p-type semiconductors with holes as the major carriers. The carrier concentration decreased as the concentration of Ce and Co increased, which led to decreased electrical conductivity and increased Seebeck coefficient. The thermal conductivity decreased due to a reduction in electronic thermal conductivity via Co substitution, and due to decreased lattice thermal conductivity via double filling of Ce and Yb. $(Ce_{0.25}Yb_{0.75})_{0.8}Fe_{3.5}Co_{0.5}Sb_{12}$ exhibited the greatest dimensionless figure of merit (ZT = 0.66 at 823 K).

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.315-320
• /
• 2008

The effect of Mn additive on the thermoelectric properties of Fe-Si alloys prepared by a RF inductive furnace was investigated. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient were measured as a function of temperature under Ar atmosphere to evaluate their applicability to thermoelectric energy conversion. The electrical conductivity of the specimens increased with increasing temperatures showing typical semiconducting behavior. The electrical conductivity of Mn-doped specimens are higher than that of undoped specimens and increased slightly with increasing the amount of Mn additive. This must be due to the difference in carrier concentration and the amount of residual metallic phase ${\varepsilon}$-FeSi(The ${\varepsilon}$-FeSi was detected in spite of 100 h annealing treatment at $830^{\circ}C$). And metallic conduction increased slightly with increasing the amount of Mn additive. On the other hand, Mn-doped specimens showed the lower Seebeck coefficient due to metallic phase. The power factor of Mn-doped specimens are higher than that of undoped specimens and would be affected by the electrical conductivity more than Seebeck coefficient.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.186-191
• /
• 2009

Thermoelectric power and resistivity are measured for the perovskite $LaNi_{1-x}Ti_xO_3$ ($x{\leq}0.5$) in the temperature range 77 K - 300 K. The measured thermoelectric power of $LaNi_{1-x}Ti_xO_3$ ($x{\leq}0.5$) increases linearly with temperature and is represented by A + BT. The x = 0.1 sample showed metallic behavior, the x = 0.3 showed metal and insulating transition around 150 K, and x = 0.5 showed insulating behavior the over the whole temperature range. The electrical resistivity of x = 0.1 shows linear temperature dependence over the whole temperature range and $T^2$ dependence. On the other hand, the electrical resistivity of x = 0.3 shows a linear relation between $ln{\rho}$ and $T^{-1/4}$ (variable range hopping mechanism) in the range of 77 K to 150 K. For x = 0.5, the temperature dependence of resistivity is characteristic of insulating materials; the resistivity data was fitted to an exponential law, such as ln(${\rho}/T$) and $T^{-1}$, which is usually attributed to a small polaron hopping mechanism. These experimental results are interpreted in terms of the spin polaron (x = 0.1) and variable range hopping (x = 0.3) or small polaron hopping (x = 0.5) of an almost localized $Ni^{3+}$ 3d polaron.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.180-185
• /
• 2006

Microwatt power level at relatively high voltage(order of volt) was produced by $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_{3}/Bi_{2}Te_{2.4}Se_{0.6}$ thin film thermoelectric generators, and maximum output power varied with temperature difference in the square-law relation. Output voltage and current were possible to control by changing the way of electrical connection as well as the number of stacking plate-modules. Variation of open circuit voltage and short circuit current with temperature difference showed a linear relationship. There were, however, some differences in variations; open circuit voltage were dependent on the number of plate-module when connected in series, but it was not for parallel connection. On the other hand, short circuit current showed the opposite behavior to the case of open circuit current.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.89-92
• /
• 2005

The induction melting was employed to prepare Nb-doped $CoSb_3$ skutterudites and their thermoelectric properties were investigated. Single phase $\delta-CoSb_3$ was successfully obtained by induction melting and subsequent annealing at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2 hrs in vacuum. The positive signs of Seebeck coefficients for all the specimens revealed that Nb atoms acted as p-type dopants by substituting Co atoms. Electrical conductivity decreased and then increased with increasing temperature, indicating mixed conduction behavior. Electrical conductivity increased by Nb doping, and it was saturated at high temperature. Maximum value of the thermoelectric power factor was shifted to higher temperature with increasing the amount of Nb doping, mainly originated from the high Seebeck coefficient around mixed conduction temperature and high electrical conductivity.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.93-96
• /
• 2005

The arc melting was employed to prepare undoped $CoSb_3$ compounds and their thermoelectric properties were investigated. Specimen annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs showed sound microstructure. However, considerable voids and cracks were found after annealing at above $500^{\circ}C$. It seems to be attributed to the phase dissociation and thermal expansion due to phase transitions during annealing and cooling. Single phase $\delta-CoSb_3$ was successfully obtained by annealing at $400^{\circ}C$ for 24 hrs. In the case of increasing annealing temperature, phase decompositions occurred. Undoped $CoSb_3$ showed p-type conduction and intrinsic semiconducting behavior at all temperatures examined. Thermoelectric properties were remarkably improved by annealing and they were closely related to phase transitions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.255-262
• /
• 2016

There has been intense research on self-diagnosis systems in railway applications, since stability and reliability have become more and more significant issues. Wired sensors have been widely used in the railway vehicles, but because of the difficulty in their maintenance and accessibility, they ar not considered for self-diagnosis systems. To have a self-monitoring system, wireless data transmission and self-powered sensors are required. For this purpose, a thermoelectric energy harvesting module that can generate electricity from temperature gradient between the bogie axle box and ambient environment was introduced in this work. The temperature gradient was measured under actual operation conditions, and the behavior of the thermoelectric module with an external load resistance and booster circuits was studied. The proposed energy harvesting system can be applied for wireless sensor nodes in railroad vehicles with optimization of thermal management.