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Decoupled charge and heat transport in Fe2VAl composite thermoelectrics with topological-insulating grain boundary networks

Author

Listed:
  • Fabian Garmroudi

    (TU Wien
    National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS))

  • Illia Serhiienko

    (National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS))

  • Michael Parzer

    (TU Wien)

  • Sanyukta Ghosh

    (German Aeropspace Center (DLR))

  • Pawel Ziolkowski

    (German Aeropspace Center (DLR))

  • Gregor Oppitz

    (German Aeropspace Center (DLR))

  • Hieu Duy Nguyen

    (National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS))

  • Cédric Bourgès

    (National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
    National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS))

  • Yuya Hattori

    (National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS))

  • Alexander Riss

    (TU Wien)

  • Sebastian Steyrer

    (TU Wien)

  • Gerda Rogl

    (University of Vienna)

  • Peter Rogl

    (University of Vienna)

  • Erhard Schafler

    (University of Vienna)

  • Naoyuki Kawamoto

    (National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS))

  • Eckhard Müller

    (German Aeropspace Center (DLR)
    Justus Liebig University Giessen)

  • Ernst Bauer

    (TU Wien)

  • Johannes Boor

    (German Aeropspace Center (DLR)
    Institute of Technology for Nanostructures (NST) and CENIDE)

  • Takao Mori

    (National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
    University of Tsukuba)

Abstract

Decoupling charge and heat transport is essential for optimizing thermoelectric materials. Strategies to inhibit lattice-driven heat transport, however, also compromise carrier mobility, limiting the performance of most thermoelectrics, including Fe2VAl Heusler compounds. Here, we demonstrate an innovative approach, which bypasses this tradeoff: via liquid-phase sintering, we incorporate the archetypal topological insulator Bi1−xSbx between Fe2V0.95Ta0.1Al0.95 grains. Structural investigations alongside extensive thermoelectric and magneto-transport measurements reveal distinct modifications in the microstructure, a reduced lattice thermal conductivity and a simultaneously enhanced carrier mobility arising from topologically protected charge transport along the grain boundaries. This yields a huge performance boost, resulting in one of the highest figure of merits among both half- and full-Heusler compounds, z ≈ 1.6 × 10−3 K−1 (zT ≈ 0.5) at 295 K. Our findings highlight the potential of topological-insulating secondary phases to decouple charge and heat transport and call for more advanced theoretical studies of multiphase composites.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabian Garmroudi & Illia Serhiienko & Michael Parzer & Sanyukta Ghosh & Pawel Ziolkowski & Gregor Oppitz & Hieu Duy Nguyen & Cédric Bourgès & Yuya Hattori & Alexander Riss & Sebastian Steyrer & Gerda , 2025. "Decoupled charge and heat transport in Fe2VAl composite thermoelectrics with topological-insulating grain boundary networks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57250-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57250-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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