Theoretical and experimental investigation of the excellent p-n control in yttrium aluminoborides.

First-principles calculations were carried out to elucidate the excellent control of p-n characteristics recently reported for yttrium aluminoborides YxAlyB14 [Formula: see text] with different occupancies of Al sites [Formula: see text]. Such control of the occupancy of metal sites in borides is unusual. Calculations based on detailed x-ray diffraction data reveal a stable configuration of the atomic sites, indicating that such variation in occupancy is possible. A shift from positive through zero to negative values of the Seebeck coefficient is also clearly illustrated by determining the density of states for different configurations.

Cationic clathrate of type-III Ge(172-x)P(x)Te(y) (y ≈ 21.5, x ≈ 2y): synthesis, crystal structure and thermoelectric properties.

A first germanium-based cationic clathrate of type-III, Ge(129.3)P(42.7)Te(21.53), was synthesized and structurally characterized (space group P4(2)/mnm, a = 19.948(3) Å, c = 10.440(2) Å, Z = 1). In its crystal structure, germanium and phosphorus atoms form three types of polyhedral cages centered with Te atoms. The polyhedra share pentagonal and hexagonal faces to form a 3D framework. Despite the complexity of the crystal structure, the Ge(129.3)P(42.7)Te(21.53) composition corresponds to the Zintl counting scheme with a good accuracy. Ge(129.3)P(42.7)Te(21.53) demonstrates semiconducting/insulating behavior of electric resistivity, high positive Seebeck coefficient (500 µV K(-1) at 300 K), and low thermal conductivity (<0.92 W m(-1) K(-1)) within the measured temperature range.

Synthesis, structure, and transport properties of type-I derived clathrate Ge(46-x)P(x)Se(8-y) (x = 15.4(1); y = 0-2.65) with diverse host-guest bonding.

A first clathrate compound with selenium guest atoms, [Ge(46-x)P(x)]Se(8-y)□(y) (x = 15.4(1); y = 0-2.65; □ denotes a vacancy), was synthesized as a single-phase and structurally characterized. It crystallizes in the space group Fm3 with the unit cell parameter a varying from 20.310(2) to 20.406(2) Å and corresponding to a 2 × 2 × 2 supercell of a usual clathrate-I structure. The superstructure is formed due to the symmetrical arrangement of the three-bonded framework atoms appearing as a result of the framework transformation of the parent clathrate-I structure. Selenium guest atoms occupy two types of polyhedral cages inside the positively charged framework; all selenium atoms in the larger cages form a single covalent bond with the framework atoms, relating the title compounds to a scanty family of semiclathrates. According to the measurements of electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient, [Ge(46-x)P(x)]Se(8-y)□(y) is an n-type semiconductor with E(g) = 0.41 eV for x = 15.4(1) and y = 0; it demonstrates the maximal thermoelectric power factor of 2.3 × 10(-5) W K(-2) m(-1) at 660 K.