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A Promising Thermoelectric Material:  Zn4Sb3 or Zn6-δSb5. Its Composition, Structure, Stability, and Polymorphs. Structure and Stability of Zn1-δSb
Chemistry of Materials
  • Yurij Mozharivskyj, Iowa State University
  • Alexandra O. Pecharsky, Iowa State University
  • Sergey L. Bud'ko, Iowa State University
  • Gordon J. Miller, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
1-1-2004
DOI
10.1021/cm035274a
Abstract

Composition, crystal structure, and stability of the thermoelectric material, known in the literature as “Zn4Sb3”, has been characterized using low- and room-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques, as well as in situ room- and high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction methods. We have found that the Zn4Sb3 phase does not exist below 767 K (the β−γ transition temperature); it is the Zn6-δSb5 phase that is erroneously assigned the Zn4Sb3 composition and is considered to be a promising thermoelectric material. The structure of Zn6-δSb5 is similar to that of “Zn4Sb3” but no Zn/Sb mixture is observed on any Sb site. Instead, a significant deficiency on the Zn site is discovered. There are two, not one, as previously reported, Zn6-δSb5 polymorphs below room temperature. In dynamic vacuum and at elevated temperatures the Zn6-δSb5 phase becomes zinc poorer due to zinc sublimation and eventually decomposes into ZnSb and Zn before reaching its melting temperature of 841 K. The binary Zn1-δSb compound also loses zinc in dynamic vacuum and at high temperatures and decomposes into Sb and Zn. The structure of Zn1-δSb (CdSb-type) is analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction techniques.

Comments

Reprinted (adapted) with permission from Chem. Mater., 2004, 16 (8), pp 1580–1589. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society.

Copyright Owner
American Chemical Society
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Yurij Mozharivskyj, Alexandra O. Pecharsky, Sergey L. Bud'ko and Gordon J. Miller. "A Promising Thermoelectric Material:  Zn4Sb3 or Zn6-δSb5. Its Composition, Structure, Stability, and Polymorphs. Structure and Stability of Zn1-δSb" Chemistry of Materials Vol. 16 Iss. 8 (2004) p. 1580 - 1589
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gordon-miller/18/