title: Magnetoelectric interaction and transport behaviours in magnetic nanocomposite thermoelectric materials.
abstract: How to suppress the performance deterioration of thermoelectric materials in the intrinsic excitation region remains a key challenge. The magnetic transition of permanent magnet nanoparticles from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism provides an effective approach to finding the solution to this challenge. Here, we have designed and prepared magnetic nanocomposite thermoelectric materials consisting of BaFe12O19nanoparticles and Ba0.3In0.3Co4Sb12matrix. It was found that the electrical transport behaviours of the nanocomposites are controlled by the magnetic transition of BaFe12O19nanoparticles from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism. BaFe12O19nanoparticles trap electrons below the Curie temperature (TC) and release the trapped electrons above the TC, playing an 'electron repository' role in maintaining high figure of merit ZT. BaFe12O19nanoparticles produce two types of magnetoelectric effect-electron spiral motion and magnon-drag thermopower-as well as enhancing phonon scattering. Our work demonstrates that the performance deterioration of thermoelectric materials in the intrinsic excitation region can be suppressed through the magnetic transition of permanent magnet nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wenyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Qingjie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wanting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xianli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xinfeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Jihui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Energy Materials Laboratory, School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8488-2690
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Siqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yanzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pei