High efficiency thermoelectric materials are ideal for thermoelectric applications which convert waste heat to electricity or generate a temperature gradient from electricity. Materials with type I clathrate structure have been identified as having the ideal phonon glass electron crystal attributes and therefore have the potential to be a high efficiency material.K8Al8Si38, crystallizing in the type I clathrate structure, was synthesized for the first time and the powder X-ray diffraction data were analyzed via Rietveld refinement. The sample's chemical composition was further confirmed with electron microprobe. TG/DSC data are consistent with the decomposition of this phase at 800?. The sample was consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering and electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient indicated that this is a n-type semiconductor. The results will be presented along with other related compounds.

Synthesis and characterization of type I clathrate K8Al8Si38 for thermoelectric application

245th National Meeting (2013)

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