Effects of Al and B co-doping on the thermoelectric properties of ZnO ceramics sintered in an argon atmosphere.

(Zn1-x-yAlxBy)O (x = 0, y = 0, x = 0.02 and y = 0.005, 0.01, 0.02) ceramics have been synthesised via conventional solid-state reaction (SSR) method. Each ceramic formed as a single phase with a dense microstructure. The Seebeck coefficient, power factor, and electrical resistivities were determined for all these ceramics. Very interesting changes have been observed in the thermoelectric properties of ZnO ceramics sintered in the atmosphere of argon gas at 1450 °C via Al and B codoping. The power factor ~6.332 × 10 −4 W K − 2 m−1 and Seebeck's coefficient ~ −89.85 µ V K −1 along with lowest electrical resistivity ~ 1.224 m Ω cm at 700.0 °C was obtained for the composition with y = 0.01, i.e., (Zn0.097Al0.02B0.01)O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]