Effect of microstructural control on thermoelectric properties of hot-pressed aluminum-doped zinc oxide

The thermal conductivity of polycrystalline Al-doped ZnO was controlled through the fabrication of nanostructured polycrystalline materials, by hot-pressing nanosized Zn1-xAl2O (x = 0.01, 0.02) particles, which were synthesized by a coprecipitation and spray-drying method. This process resulted in an improved thermoelectric power factor because of the nanosized Zn0.99Al0.01O particles of the polycrystalline products. The thermal conductivity also was decreased as a result of the formation of nanocrystalline Zn0.99Al0.01O.