Half-Heusler phase TmNiSb under pressure: intrinsic phase separation, thermoelectric performance and structural transition

Abstract

Half-Heusler (HH) phase TmNiSb was obtained by arc-melting combined with high-pressure high-temperature sintering in conditions: p = 5.5 GPa, $$T_{HPHT}$$ T HPHT = 20, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 $$^{\circ }$$ ∘ C. Within pressing temperatures 20–750 $$^{\circ }$$ ∘ C the samples maintained HH structure, however, we observed intrinsic phase separation. The material divided into three phases: stoichiometric TmNiSb, nickel-deficient phase TmNi$$_{1-x}$$ 1 - x Sb, and thulium-rich phase Tm(NiSb)$$_{1-y}$$ 1 - y . For TmNiSb sample sintered at 1000 $$^{\circ }$$ ∘ C, we report structural transition to LiGaGe-type structure (P$$6_3$$ 6 3 mc, a = 4.367(3) Å, c = 7.138(7) Å). Interpretation of the transition is supported by X-ray powder diffraction, electron back-scattered diffraction, ab-initio calculations of Gibbs energy and phonon dispersion relations. Electrical resistivity measured for HH samples with phase separation shown non-degenerate behavior. Obtained energy gaps for HH samples were narrow ($$\le$$ ≤ 260 meV), while the average hole effective masses in range 0.8–2.5$$m_e$$ m e . TmNiSb sample pressed at 750 $$^{\circ }$$ ∘ C achieved the biggest power factor among the series, 13 $$\upmu$$ μ WK$$^{-2}$$ - 2 cm$$^{-1}$$ - 1 , which proves that the intrinsic phase separation is not detrimental for the electronic transport.