Issue 19, 2021

Advances in half-Heusler alloys for thermoelectric power generation

Abstract

Half-Heusler alloys are leading candidate materials for large scale thermoelectric power generation. In the past decade, substantial improvements have been made to the established n-types based on XIVNiSn, and exciting new p-types based on XVFeSb and ZrCoBi have been discovered. This has been achieved through careful experimental work and by increased fundamental insight. In particular, advances in materials synthesis and compositional optimisation guided by empirical modelling have been key to extracting more performance from half-Heuslers alloys. This review summarises recent progress for the main classes of half-Heusler alloys, including their fundamental electronic and thermal properties, processing, and thermoelectric performance. It also incorporates some of the expanding body of work focused on translating materials performance (zT > 1 at 773 K is now routinely possible) into generator devices.

Graphical abstract: Advances in half-Heusler alloys for thermoelectric power generation

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
10 aug 2021
Accepted
12 sep 2021
First published
13 sep 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Adv., 2021,2, 6246-6266

Advances in half-Heusler alloys for thermoelectric power generation

R. J. Quinn and J. G. Bos, Mater. Adv., 2021, 2, 6246 DOI: 10.1039/D1MA00707F

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