Synthesis of nanostructured bornite by mechanical alloying and investigate the effect of co-doping Zn and Co on its thermoelectric properties

Subject Areas :

Ahmad  Ostovari Moghaddam ¹ (Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Research Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran)
Ali  Shokuhfar ² (Faculty of Materials science and engineering, Khaje Nasir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2018-09-20 Accepted : 2019-08-06 Published : 2019-12-22

Keywords: mechanical alloying, Nanostructure, doping, Bornite, thermoelectric properties,

Abstract :

To improve current solid state thermoelectric devices, high performance materials based on safe and abundant elements is required. Here, the thermoelectric properties of Cu5-2xZnxCoxFeS4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06) nanostructured samples were investigated. First, Cu5-2xZnxCoxFeS4 nanoparticles were synthesized by high energy ball milling and then consolidated into pellets by hot pressing. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was employed for structural study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for microstructural analysis, and the thermoelectric properties were evaluated by electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity measurements. XRD data revealed that the crystal structure of the materials to be consistent with a pure bornite phase up to x = 0.04 for Cu5-2xZnxCoxFeS4. The power factor of un-substituted sample was 0.25 mWm-1K-2 which decrease after Co and Zn substitution. Concurrent substituting of Co and Zn for Cu in the range of 0.02 ≤ x ≤ 0.04 changed the p-type conduction of bornite to n-type at room temperature and up to 527 K. Extremely low thermal conductivities of k < 0.30 Wm-1K-1 were obtained for all double substituted samples as a results of the significant mass and strain field fluctuations and the nanostructured nature of the samples. The highest ZT value of 0.35 was attained for x = 0.06.

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