SEEBECK COEFFICIENTS OF Mn-Si MATERIALS PREPARED BY SPARK PLASMA SINTERING

Abstract

MnSi 1.73 and MnSi samples were grown by spark plasma sintering (SPS) from different Si / Mn ratio powders, at different sintering temperatures, and for different sintering times. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements showed samples containing MnSi and MnSi 1.73 and Si phases, depending on the initial stoichiometries. Measurements of the Seebeck coefficient revealed p-type conductance for all samples. The Seebeck coefficients of the samples with MnSi pure phase were very low (about 10 μ V/K) and changed little at the temperature range measured. The Seebeck coefficients of the samples with MnSi 1.73, MnSi and Si phases were similar to that of the sample with near-pure MnSi 1.73 phase, which were larger than those of the samples with MnSi 1.73 and MnSi phases, but a little smaller than those of the samples with MnSi 1.73 and Si phases. It seems that, for the samples with the same phases, larger ratio of the strongest intensity peak of MnSi 1.73 to [Formula: see text], MnSi 1.73 to [Formula: see text] or both lead to larger Seebeck coeffiecients.