Ultra-fast fabrication of Bi(2)Te(3) based thermoelectric materials by flash-sintering at room temperature combining with spark plasma sintering

Highly crystalline Bi(2)Te(3) based compounds with small grain size were successfully synthesized by flash sintering (FS) method in 10 s at room temperature under suitable current density using Bi, Te and Se powders. The instantaneously generated local Joule heat at grain boundary is regarded as the main reason for the rapid completion of chemical reaction and crystallization. By combining FS synthesis method with spark plasma sintering (SPS), Bi(2)Te(3) based bulk materials with high relative density were fabricated in 10 min. Suitably prolonging sintering temperature and holding time in SPS process can decrease carrier concentration and phonon thermal conductivity, while increasing carrier mobility. Hence, the sample prepared at 753 K for 3 min shows 20% higher ZT value than that of the sample prepared at 723 K for 3 min. Compared with common zone melting or powder metallurgy methods taking several hours by complex operation, this method is time-saving and low cost.