Fulfilling thermoelectric promises: β-Zn4Sb3 from materials research to power generation

Abstract

The β-phase of Zn₄Sb₃ was rediscovered as a very promising thermoelectric material in the mid-nineties. The material seemed to have it all: a very high thermoelectric figure of merit in the technologically important mid-temperature region (200–400 °C), potential for further optimization through doping and best of all it was made of cheap, “non-toxic” and abundant elements. A vast amount of waste heat is present in the mid-temperature region, which is likely to be the optimal region for power generation applications. Furthermore, few other attractive thermoelectric materials are known with good performance in this temperature region. Almost 15 years have passed and Zn₄Sb₃ has still not been built into commercial thermoelectric devices. However, this may change as intensive research appears to have solved some of the significant problematic issues that were unravelled in the last decade. The present Feature presents the Zn₄Sb₃ story, which touches upon all the major aspects of materials chemistry: synthesis, structural characterization, measurement of properties, materials optimization, device fabrication and commercialization.