Mechanical alloying and thermoelectric properties of Zn4Sb3

Thermoelectric Zn4Sb3 bulk specimens were produced by mechanical alloying of elemental powders and consolidated by hot pressing. Single phase Zn4Sb3 was not obtained using a nominal stoichiometric composition, but near single phase Zn4Sb3 with remnant elemental Zn having a relatively high density was produced using a nominally 11.7 at.% Zn rich powders. Phase transformations during mechanical alloying were systematically investigated using XRD and SEM. Thermoelectric and transport properties were evaluated for the hot pressed specimens and compared with results of analogous studies.