Microstructure and Thermoelectric Properties of p-type Si80Ge20B0.6-SiC Nanocomposite

doi:10.15541/jim20160060

Abstract

Abstract:

P-type silicon germanium (SiGe) alloys, Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6, with homogeneously dispersed SiC nanoparticles were prepared by ball milling and subsequent spark plasma sintering. The influence of grain size reduction of SiGe matrix and SiC nanoparticle dispersion on electrical and thermal transport properties were investigated. A significant reduction in lattice thermal conductivity is achieved by a more pronounced grain boundary scattering of phonons introduced by grain size reduction after ball milling. Dispersing SiC nanoparticles in the Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 matrix effectively reduces the conduction of heat by providing additional phonon scattering centers. A dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT) of 0.62 at 1000 K is obtained in nanostructuring Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 incorporated with only 0.5vol% SiC nanoparticles, which is 17% higher than the parent Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 matrix and about 30% higher than p-type SiGe alloy used in the radioisotope thermoelectric generator in space missions.

Key words: SiGe alloys, SiC nanoparticle dispersion, thermoelectric material, nanocomposite, nanostructuring

CLC Number:

TQ174

YANG Xiao-Yan, WU Jie-Hua, REN Du-Di, ZHANG Tian-Song, CHEN Li-Dong. Microstructure and Thermoelectric Properties of p-type Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6-SiC Nanocomposite[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2016, 31(9): 997-1003.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig. 1 Powder XRD patterns of Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix, Si80Ge20B0.6 BM and Si80Ge20B0.6 + 0.5vol% SiC BM samples before SPS. The inset in the upper right depicts XRD pattern of Si80Ge20B0.6 + 0.5vol% SiC BM sample sintered by SPS

Fig. 2 SEM images of powders before SPS(a) SiC particles; (b) Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix; (c) Si80Ge20B0.6 BM, (d) Si80Ge20B0.6 + 0.5vol% SiC BM

Fig. 3 SEM images of fracture surfaces of bulk samples sintered by SPS(a) Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix; (b) Si80Ge20B0.6 BM; (c) Si80Ge20B0.6 + 0.5vol% SiC BM

Fig. 4 TEM images and EDS results of Si80Ge20B0.6 + 0.5vol% SiC BM sample(a) TEM image of the composite containing nano-SiC; (b) EDS of the region at areas I and II in (a); (c) High magnification of the sub-region in (a); (d) HRTEM image of the interface between Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix and nano-SiC particle; (e, f) HRTEM images of Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix and nano-SiC particle, respectively; (g, h) Fourier transfer diffraction patterns of (e) and (f), respectively

Fig. 5 Temperature dependence of (a) electrical conductivity, (b) Seebeck coefficient, (c) power factor and (d) carrier concentration for Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix, Si80Ge20B0.6 BM and Si80Ge20B0.6 + xvol% SiC BM (x = 0.3, 0.5, 1.0) samples

Table 1 Room temperature carrier concentration and mobility for Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix, Si80Ge20B0.6 BM and Si80Ge20B0.6 + xvol% SiC BM (x = 0.3, 0.5, 1.0) samples

Sample	Carrier concentration/ (×10²⁰, cm^-3)	Carrier mobility/ (cm²·V^-1·s^-1)
Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 matrix	3.4	36
Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 BM	1.4	30
Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 + 0.3vol% SiC BM	1.3	28
Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 + 0.5vol% SiC BM	1.3	26
Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6 + 1.0vol% SiC BM	1.4	23

Fig. 6 Temperature dependence of (a) thermal conductivity and (b) lattice thermal conductivity for Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix, Si80Ge20B0.6 BM and Si80Ge20B0.6 + xvol% SiC BM (x = 0.3, 0.5, 1.0) samples

Fig. 7 Temperature dependence of ZT values for RTG p-type Si80Ge20 alloy[3], Si80Ge20B0.6 matrix, Si80Ge20B0.6 BM and Si80Ge20B0.6 + xvol% SiC BM (x = 0.3, 0.5, 1.0) samples

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Microstructure and Thermoelectric Properties of p-type Si₈₀Ge₂₀B_0.6-SiC Nanocomposite

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