Abstract
Al-doped ZnO powders were synthesized via solid reaction between Zn(OH) 2 and Al(OH) 3 and consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) to fabricate fine-grained Zn 1− x Al x O ceramics as a thermoelectric material. X-ray diffraction and spectrophotometer experiments revealed that Al doping into ZnO is enhanced by the present process, and consequently the SPS-processed Zn 1− x Al x O samples show significantly improved electrical conductivity as compared with those prepared via mixing ZnO and Al 2O 3 oxide powders. Because of the combined effect of Al doping and grain refinement, the present Zn 1− x Al x O ceramics show much lower thermal conductivity, which also results in an enhanced dimensionless figure of merit ( ZT), than un-doped ZnO oxides prepared also by SPS.
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