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Transport and Mechanical Properties of High-ZT Mg2.08Si0.4−x Sn0.6Sb x Thermoelectric Materials

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Abstract

Mg2(Si,Sn) compounds are promising candidate low-cost, lightweight, nontoxic thermoelectric materials made from abundant elements and are suited for power generation applications in the intermediate temperature range of 600 K to 800 K. Knowledge on the transport and mechanical properties of Mg2(Si,Sn) compounds is essential to the design of Mg2(Si,Sn)-based thermoelectric devices. In this work, such materials were synthesized using the molten-salt sealing method and were powder processed, followed by pulsed electric sintering densification. A set of Mg2.08Si0.4−x Sn0.6Sb x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.072) compounds were investigated, and a peak ZT of 1.50 was obtained at 716 K in Mg2.08Si0.364Sn0.6Sb0.036. The high ZT is attributed to a high electrical conductivity in these samples, possibly caused by a magnesium deficiency in the final product. The mechanical response of the material to stresses is a function of the elastic moduli. The temperature-dependent Young’s modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, Poisson’s ratio, acoustic wave speeds, and acoustic Debye temperature of the undoped Mg2(Si,Sn) compounds were measured using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy from 295 K to 603 K. In addition, the hardness and fracture toughness were measured at room temperature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Peng Gao, Robert D. Schmidt, Patricia Bordon Sarac, Eldon D. Case & Timothy P. Hogan

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Isil Berkun, Matthew F. Luzenski & Timothy P. Hogan

  3. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Xu Lu

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  1. Peng Gao
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Correspondence to Timothy P. Hogan.

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Gao, P., Berkun, I., Schmidt, R.D. et al. Transport and Mechanical Properties of High-ZT Mg2.08Si0.4−x Sn0.6Sb x Thermoelectric Materials. J. Electron. Mater. 43, 1790–1803 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-013-2865-8

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