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A1: Low temperature materials

High Thermoelectric Performance of BiSbTe-Based Zone-melted Alloys with Hot Deformation Process 

Z. J. Xu, T. J. Zhu, L. P. Hu, P. J. Ying and X. B. Zhao
Zhejiang University

Zone-melted Bismuth antimony telluride (BiSbTe) alloys have been the most widely applied commercial thermoelectric materials for several decades. It is demonstrated that hot deformation process can enhance TE properties and mechanical properties of zone-melted BiSbTe alloys. A high dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) value of 1.36 at 400K is obtained in Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 after hot deformation process, and also the average ZT is about 1.2 in the temperature range of 300K~525K. The hot deformation method of top down nanostructuring is successfully employed to modify the microstructure and adjust the carrier concentration to get a higher power factor (PF). At the same time, the lattice thermal conductivity is significantly reduced, which contributes to a high ZT. And mechanical properties have been improved, which are favorable for practical applications.