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A Novel Approach to Synthesize Lanthanum Telluride Thermoelectric Thin Films in Ambient Conditions

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Abstract

Rare-earth telluride compounds are characterized by their high performance thermoelectric properties that have been applied to the development of functional materials [1]. Recently, May and co-workers reported that nanostructured bulk lanthanum telluride (La3-xTe4, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1/3) by mechanical ball-milling exceeded the figure of merit (ZT) of 1 at high temperatures near 1300K [2-3]. Since the increased thermoelectric efficiency of nanostructured materials is due to the enhancement of phonon scattering introduced by quantum confinement, thin films have also generated significant scientific and technological interest [4-6]. Here, we report on the electrodepostion of lanthanum telluride and lanthanum thin films in ionic liquids in ambient conditions. Surface morphologies varied from needle-like to granular structures and depend on deposition conditions. This novel electrochemical synthesis approach is a simple, inexpensive and laboratory-environment friendly method of synthesizing nanostructured thermoelectric materials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 21218, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Su (Ike) Chih Chi, Stephen L. Farias & Robert C. Cammarata

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, 21218, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Robert C. Cammarata

Authors
  1. Su (Ike) Chih Chi
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  2. Stephen L. Farias
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  3. Robert C. Cammarata
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Chi, S.(.C., Farias, S.L. & Cammarata, R.C. A Novel Approach to Synthesize Lanthanum Telluride Thermoelectric Thin Films in Ambient Conditions. MRS Online Proceedings Library 1543, 113–118 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2013.929

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2013.929

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