Thermo‐Electro‐Magnetic Interactions and ≈1 nm Fe Interfacial Layer Realize High Average <i>ZT</i> in Fe/Mg<sub>3</sub>(Sb,Bi)<sub>2</sub> Below 300 °C

Abstract Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 alloys offer exceptional near‐room temperature thermoelectric (TE) performance comparable to Bi 2 Te 3 . However, the low carrier mobility due to Mg vacancies and relatively high lattice thermal conductivity adversely affect overall TE performance. Herein, carrier mobility and thermal conductivity of Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 are decoupled by modulating both the phase interface and grain boundaries through incorporating different sizes of iron (Fe). Ferromagnetic micrometer‐sized Fe particles enhance the figure of merit ( ZT ) more than superparamagnetic nano‐sized counterparts. Magnetic moments of Fe induce the charge density overlap near phase boundaries and ≈1 nm Fe interfacial layer lowers grain‐boundary barriers, leading to sharply increased carrier mobility. Moreover, the additional magnon‐phonon scattering reduces lattice thermal conductivity by over 40%. Consequently, Fe/Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 composite achieves a high average ZT of 1.4 over room temperature to 573 K. The fabricated Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 ‐CdSb module demonstrates a high conversion efficiency of 8.4% under a 275 K temperature gradient, among the best for Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 ‐based modules. This work uncovers the role of thermo‐electro‐magnetic interactions in bolstering TE performance and inspires the development of low‐cost, high‐efficiency TE modules for low‐grade heat recovery.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2024-12-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202418041
Citations
9
Primary Topic
Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.06

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Thermo‐Electro‐Magnetic Interactions and ≈1 nm Fe Interfacial Layer Realize High Average ZT in Fe/Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 Below 300 °C

Zhen‐Hua Ge, Fengxian Gao, Yan Xi, Jiang‐Jiang Ma et al.
9 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials
1.06
article

Thermo‐Electro‐Magnetic Interactions and ≈1 nm Fe Interfacial Layer Realize High Average ZT in Fe/Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 Below 300 °C

Zhen‐Hua Ge, Fengxian Gao, Yan Xi, Jiang‐Jiang Ma, Weiyun Zhao, Liangwei Fu, Biao Xu, Mingfang Shu, Jie Ma, Xiao Gao, Ming Liu, Yu Zhen Yuan, Haonan Nie, Kangpeng Jin
article en
9 citations

Abstract

Abstract Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 alloys offer exceptional near‐room temperature thermoelectric (TE) performance comparable to Bi 2 Te 3 . However, the low carrier mobility due to Mg vacancies and relatively high lattice thermal conductivity adversely affect overall TE performance. Herein, carrier mobility and thermal conductivity of Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 are decoupled by modulating both the phase interface and grain boundaries through incorporating different sizes of iron (Fe). Ferromagnetic micrometer‐sized Fe particles enhance the figure of merit ( ZT ) more than superparamagnetic nano‐sized counterparts. Magnetic moments of Fe induce the charge density overlap near phase boundaries and ≈1 nm Fe interfacial layer lowers grain‐boundary barriers, leading to sharply increased carrier mobility. Moreover, the additional magnon‐phonon scattering reduces lattice thermal conductivity by over 40%. Consequently, Fe/Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 composite achieves a high average ZT of 1.4 over room temperature to 573 K. The fabricated Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 ‐CdSb module demonstrates a high conversion efficiency of 8.4% under a 275 K temperature gradient, among the best for Mg 3 (Sb,Bi) 2 ‐based modules. This work uncovers the role of thermo‐electro‐magnetic interactions in bolstering TE performance and inspires the development of low‐cost, high‐efficiency TE modules for low‐grade heat recovery.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 35(13)
Kunming University of Science and Technology (CN), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN), Nanjing University of Science and Technology (CN), Zhejiang Lab (CN), Beihang University (CN), RWTH Aachen University (DE), University of Science and Technology Beijing (CN), Shanxi Normal University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Central University Basic Research Fund of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 25%
Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials
1.06
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.