Thermoelectric Properties of ZnO-P₂O₅/(Ni) Composites

The overall purpose of the present study is basically to understand the manifestation of the thermo-electrical properties of the matrix ZnO-P2O5 first, and of the ZnO-P2O5 composites loaded with different volume fractions of nickel (Ni) as conductive fillers. In the matrix ZnO-P2O5, the values of electrical conductivity varied between 1.14 × 10-8 and 7.8 × 10-7 (S/cm), and the Seebeck coefficient value varied between minimal value 265 and maximal value 670 (μV/K) in the studied temperature. In composite ZnO-P2O5/Ni, it was shown that the Seebeck coefficient changed from high positive to negative values when the filler amount was increased, indicating a non-conducting to conducting phase transition. Such behavior exhibits that this transition is accompanied by the passing of carrier charge from p to n type. The study of thermoelectrically transport for high volume fraction of filler enabled the achievement, for the first time on this kind of composites, of an original transition called PTC transition. Thus, highest values of power factor (PF = S2 ≈ 2 × 10-3 W·m-1·K-2 at 407 K) were obtained, giving a possibility of industrial applications.