Potential of quasicrystals and quasicrystal approximants for new and improved thermoelectric materials

The focus of our research revolves around a search for new thermoelectric materials with improved performance over present materials. We have performed preliminary experiments to access the potential of quasicrystalline materials for thermoelectric applications. The investigation of known classes of quasicrystals and quasicrystal approximants is important for potential thermoelectric materials as well as a search for entirely new phases of these materials. The advantage of quasicrystals is that their electrical conductivity ( and possibly their thermoelectric power) can be manipulated through variation of their composition, synthesis or annealing conditions without sacrificing their usually low thermal conductivity. Quasicrystalline materials exhibit characteristics which are suggestive of Slack's idea of a phonon-glass, electron-crystal material for thermoelectric applications. We will present some of our results of resistivity, thermopower, and thermal conductivity on measurements to show the potential of these materials. A more thorough investigation of this class of materials and a systematic search for new quasicrystalline and related compounds might very well yield new materials for thermoelectric devices.