title: Chemical Synthesis of Iron Antimonide (FeSb2) and Its Thermoelectric Properties.
abstract: Low temperature thermoelectric (TE) materials are in demand for more efficient cooling and power generation applications. Iron antimonide (FeSb2) draws great attention over the past few years because of its enhanced power factor values. Polycrystalline bulk FeSb2 nanopowder was prepared via a low-temperature molten salts approach followed by subsequent thermal treatment in synthetic air and hydrogen gas for calcination and reduction reactions, respectively. Structural analysis confirms the desired final phase with submicrometer grain size and high compaction density after consolidation using spark plasma sintering (SPS). TE transport properties revealed that the material is n-type below 150 K and p-type above this temperature; this suggests antimony vacancies in FeSb2. The electrical conductivity increased significantly, and the highest conductivity achieved was 6000 S/cm at 100 K. The maximum figure-of-merit, ZT, of 0.04 is achieved at 500 K, which is about 6 times higher than the earlier reported state-of-the art ZT value for the same material.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Nano Physics, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm, Sweden.|Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University , Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mohsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saleemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Nano Physics, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mohsen Yakhshi
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tafti
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institut für Physikalische Messtechnik IPM , 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacquot
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institut für Physikalische Messtechnik IPM , 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jägle
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University , Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Nano Physics, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Muhammet S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Toprak