Engineering half-Heusler thermoelectric materials using Zintl chemistry

Zeier WG, Schmitt J, Hautier G, Aydemir U, Gibbs ZM, Felser C, Snyder GJ (2016)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Nature Reviews Materials

Book Volume: 1

Article Number: 16032

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1038/natrevmats.2016.32

Abstract

Half-Heusler compounds based on XNiSn and XCoSb (X = Ti, Zr or Hf) have rapidly become important thermoelectric materials for converting waste heat into electricity. In this Review, we provide an overview on the electronic properties of half-Heusler compounds in an attempt to understand their basic structural chemistry and physical properties, and to guide their further development. Half-Heusler compounds can exhibit semiconducting transport behaviour even though they are described as 'intermetallic' compounds. Therefore, it is most useful to consider these systems as rigid-band semiconductors within the framework of Zintl (or valence-precise) compounds. These considerations aid our understanding of their properties, such as the bandgap and low hole mobility because of interstitial Ni defects in XNiSn. Understanding the structural and bonding characteristics, including the presence of defects, will help to develop different strategies to improve and design better half-Heusler thermoelectric materials.

Involved external institutions

Northwestern University US United States (USA) (US) Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE) Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) BE Belgium (BE) California Institute of Technology (Caltech) US United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe (MPI CPfS) / Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Zeier, W.G., Schmitt, J., Hautier, G., Aydemir, U., Gibbs, Z.M., Felser, C., & Snyder, G.J. (2016). Engineering half-Heusler thermoelectric materials using Zintl chemistry. Nature Reviews Materials, 1(6). https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.32

MLA:

Zeier, Wolfgang G., et al. "Engineering half-Heusler thermoelectric materials using Zintl chemistry." Nature Reviews Materials 1.6 (2016).

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