Improving the power factor (PF) of thermoelectric materials is crucial for enhancing output power density and broadening practical applications. The near-room-temperature electrical performance of Mg3(Sb,Bi)2-based alloys is hindered due to the presence of Mg vacancies and grain boundary scattering, resulting in lower power factor. Herein, we introduced an excess of Mg into the Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 alloy during the hot-pressing process, triggering a liquid phase sintering process, which can effectively fill the Mg vacancies and increase the average grain size to significantly reduce grain boundary scattering. This leads to enhanced room-temperature electrical conductivity (σ) without detrimental effects on the Seebeck coefficient (S), thus yielding a high average PF of ~25.3 μW cm-1 K-2 and an average figure of merit (ZT) of ~ 1.03 within the temperature range of 323‒623 K. Moreover, different amounts of W were further added, and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that W segregation at grain boundaries reduces interfacial potential barriers, leading to an improved S and σ. Consequently, an ultrahigh average PF of ~26.2 μW cm-1 K-2 was attained in the W0.06Mg3.2Sb1.5Bi0.49Te0.01–4%Mg alloys. Additionally, the mechanical properties (Vickers hardness and fracture toughness) were also enhanced compared with the pristine Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 alloy. This dual-modified approach can significantly boost the TE performance and mechanical stability, advancing Mg3(Sb,Bi)2-based materials for practical applications.
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Journal of Advanced Ceramics
Available online: 08 January 2025
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