title: Anisotropic layered Bi2Te3-In2Te3composites: control of interface density for tuning of thermoelectric properties.
abstract: Layered (Bi1-xInx)2Te3-In2Te3(x = 0.075) composites of pronounced anisotropy in structure and thermoelectric properties were produced by zone melting and subsequent coherent precipitation of In2Te3from a (Bi1-xInx)2Te3(x > 0.075) matrix. Employing solid state phase transformation, the Bi2Te3/In2Te3interface density was tuned by modifying the driving force for In2Te3precipitation. The structure-property relationship in this strongly anisotropic material is characterized thoroughly and systematically for the first time. Unexpectedly, with increasing Bi2Te3/In2Te3interface density, an increase in electrical conductivity and a decrease in the absolute Seebeck coefficient were found. This is likely to be due to electron accumulation layers at the Bi2Te3/In2Te3interfaces and the interplay of bipolar transport in Bi2Te3. Significantly improved thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3-In2Te3composites as compared to the single phase (Bi1-xInx)2Te3solid solution are obtained.
authors.affiliation: Otto Schott Institute of Materials Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-Zhi Street 92, 150001 Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xinzhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute for Condensed Matter Theory and Optics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Pedro Miguel de Castro
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Borlido
authors.affiliation: Institute for Condensed Matter Theory and Optics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technology for Nanostructures and CENIDE, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bismarkstraße 81, 47057 Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmechel
authors.affiliation: Otto Schott Institute of Materials Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, D-07743 Jena, Germany.|Center for Energy and Environmental Chemistry, Philosophenweg 7, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rettenmayr