Improving the thermoelectric performance of ZrNi(In,Sb)-based double half-Heusler compounds

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Shiyang He - , Chair of Metallic Materials and Metal Physics, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Amin Bahrami - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Pingjun Ying - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Lars Giebeler - , Chair of Materials Synthesis and Analysis, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Xiang Zhang - , Zhengzhou University (Author)
  • Kornelius Nielsch - , Chair of Metallic Materials and Metal Physics, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Ran He - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)

Abstract

The complexity of crystal structures plays an intriguing role in manipulating properties in thermoelectrics, spintronics, and batteries. In comparison to the widely studied ternary half-Heusler thermoelectric compounds, quaternary double half-Heusler compounds are promising due to their intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivities (κL). However, they have been much less investigated due to the limited material availability. In this study, we report a new double half-Heusler compound based on ZrNi(In,Sb). Upon tuning the ratio of In/Sb from 0.5/0.5 to 0.4/0.6 and reducing the nominal concentrations of Zr and Ni by 10%, we greatly reduce the intensities of the impurity-phase peaks in the diffraction patterns. An even better phase purity, in combination with an optimized power factor, is realized by substituting Co at the Ni sites. Further alloying Hf at the Zr sites enhances the point defect scattering of phonons, which yielded a minimum κL of ∼1.8 W m−1 K−1 and a maximum zT of ∼0.5 for Zr0.7Hf0.2Ni0.65Co0.25In0.4Sb0.6 at 973 K. Our work thus confirms the intrinsically low κL of ZrNi(In,Sb) double half-Heusler compounds and indicates their promising applications upon further improving their electrical transport properties.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)13476-13483
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume10
Issue number25
Publication statusPublished - 31 May 2022
Peer-reviewedYes