Synthesis and characterization of <i>n</i>-type and <i>p</i>-type thermoelectric oxides

Abstract

α and γ Al 2 O 3 doped sintered ZnO (n-type) and sintered CuAlO 2 (p-type) pellets were prepared by conventional solid state synthesis starting from the oxides. 2% γ Al 2 O 3 doped ZnO was the best n-type sample showing a thermoelectric figure of merit ZT = 0.17 at 800 °C. In the case of p-type CuAlO 2 sample, ZT = 0.035 at 800 °C was obtained by application of melt-textured growth (MTG) process to the sintered pellet. In this work, MTG was recognized for the first time as effective way for the enhancement of thermoelectric properties of CuAlO 2 .

Exploring the Magnéli Phase of Transition Metal Oxides: A Promising Frontier for Thermoelectric Advancements

“…ZnO has the highest n-type ZT values and sodium cobaltite has the highest p-type ZT values among all oxide candidates [8]. Other oxide materials like α and γAl2O3 doped sintered ZnO and sintered CuAlO2 also have high thermoelectric properties [9,10]. Although oxide materials have lower thermoelectric properties compared to compounds containing elements like tellurium and antimony, they are suitable for high-temperature applications because of their superior stability in oxidizing environments [10].…”