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Nanostructuring and its Influence on the Thermoelectric Properties of the AgSbTe2-SnTe Quaternary System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Ioannis Androulakis
Affiliation:
[email protected], Michigan State University, Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, United States
R. Pcionek
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
E. Quarez
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
O. Palchik
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
H. Kong
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
C. Uher
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
J. J. Dangelo
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Mechanics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
T. Hogan
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Mechanics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
X. Tang
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29643, USA
T. Tritt
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29643, USA
Mercouri Kanatzidis
Affiliation:
[email protected], Michigan State University, Chemistry, United States
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Abstract

The structural and thermoelectric properties of the AgSbTe2-SnTe quaternary system were studied. Powder averaged x-ray diffraction of Ag0.85SnSb1.15Te3 indicates a cubic NaCl-type structure in contrast with the single crystal refinements, which point towards tetragonal symmetry. Furthermore, high-resolution electron microscopy imaging revealed the system to be a nano-composite formed by thermodynamically driven compositional fluctuations rather than a solid solution as it was viewed in the past. The lattice thermal conductivity attains very low values, which is in accord with recent theories on thermal transport in heterogeneous systems. The charge transport properties of the system exhibit a rich physical behavior highlighted in the coexistence of an almost metallic carrier concentration (∼5×1021 cm−3) with a large thermoelectric power response of ∼160 μV/K at 650 K. This is attributed to a heavy hole effective mass that is almost six times that of the electron rest mass.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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References

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