Accelerating sample preparation of graded thermoelectric materials using an automatic powder feeding system

Abstract

In recent years, the development of techniques for the controlled preparation of functional graded materials (FGMs) has become a vigorous research field. In this study, to improve the efficiency and accuracy of sample preparations, an automated feeding system based on gravimetric principles for dry powder with three dosing feeders is designed and realized. The feeding rate and accuracy can be regulated by coordinating the protruded length L (mm) and rotational speed V (r/min) of the feeder stirrer. To demonstrate this automatic sample preparation system, the well-known thermoelectric material Bi x Sb 2-x-Te 3 (x = 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8) is selected and prepared by the developed system, and the composition distribution of the functional graded material is characterized. Experimental results show that the Bi x Sb 2-x Te 3 (x = 0.3-0.8) functionally graded material crystalizes in the rhombohedral phase after hot-pressing sintering and annealing and the prepared sample has a good gradient composition distribution. This verifies the reliability and accuracy of the feeding system. The concept of samples with a gradient component and application of the automatic powder feeding system could considerably accelerate the research and development of new materials.

High Thermoelectric Performance of Cu-Doped PbSe-PbS System Enabled by High-Throughput Experimental Screening

“…Then, the precursor powders were weighed and loaded into a graphite die through our home-made automatic batching and prepressing system (Movie S1) according to a composition gradient of (1-x)(PbCu 0.02 Se):x(PbCu 0.02 S) (x = 0:1, 0:2, ⋯, 0:7). The detail of the operating principle for the system can be found in our previous report [24]. After that, a high-density cylinder-like sample with composition gradient was obtained by induction hot-pressing and subsequent annealing process under vacuum.…”

“…Generally, the HTP sample fabrication technique can be divided into two categories, i.e., material gene chip technology and continuously gradient composition preparation technique. The latter is usually adopted to fabricate bulk functional gradient materials (FGM) for transport property distribution characterization in thermoelectric communities due to its favorable composition features [24]. Januszko et al prepared gradient samples using sedimentation of atoms under a strong gravitational field and obtained a large diffusion area in a Bi 1-x Sb x alloy [25].…”