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Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Energy Solutions Using Nanocomposites as Processed Thermoelectric Materials
Published on: May 17, 2024
Zintl-phase Eu2ZnSb2: A promising thermoelectric material with ultralow thermal conductivity
Chen Chen1,2, Wenhua Xue3, Shan Li1,2
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 518055 Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Zintl compounds are considered to be potential thermoelectric materials due to their "phonon glass electron crystal" (PGEC) structure. A promising Zintl-phase thermoelectric material, 2-1-2-type Eu2ZnSb2 (P63/mmc), was prepared and investigated. The extremely low lattice thermal conductivity is attributed to the external Eu atomic layers inserted in the [Zn2Sb2]2- network in the structure of 1-2-2-type EuZn2Sb2 [Formula: see text], as well as the abundant inversion domain boundary. By regulating the Zn deficiency, the electrical properties are significantly enhanced, and the maximum ZT value reaches ∼1.0 at 823 K for Eu2Zn0.98Sb2 Our discovery provides a class of Zintl thermoelectric materials applicable in the medium-temperature range.
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