Understanding the origin of the high thermoelectric figure of merit of Zintl-phase KCaBi

Abstract

Herein, we have investigated the unexplored thermoelectric properties of Zintl-phase KCaBi using first-principles calculation and the solution of the Boltzmann transport equation. KCaBi shows intrinsically very low lattice thermal conductivities (κ_l) along the (x(y), and z)-directions of (1.78, 0.68) and (1.15, 0.43) W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 300 and 800 K, respectively. Along with the effect of very low κ_l, the high figure of merit (ZT) for p-type KCaBi results from the high Seebeck coefficients (S) and optimal electrical conductivities (σ), which originate from the high and steep total density of state (TDOS) at the valence band edge and the less dispersed multi-valley nature of the valence band edge in the band structure. On the other hand, large ZT for n-type KCaBi results from moderate S and high σ caused by the sloped TDOS at the conduction band edge and the highly dispersed nature of the conduction band edge in the band structure, and very low values of κ_l. The highest ZT of KCaBi that we obtained at 800 K along the (x(y), and z)-directions was (1.83, 0.80) for the p-type case at a hole concentration of 10²¹ cm⁻³ and (1.36, 1.22) for the n-type case at electron concentration 7 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³. Our study demonstrates that both p-type and n-type KCaBi have the potential to be promising thermoelectric materials.