Ni metal coating boosting the thermoelectric performance of In2O3(ZnO)5 ceramics

Abstract A new approach was developed for enhancing the thermoelectric performance of In 2 O 3 (ZnO) 5 ceramics. Ni coating layer on the surface of In 2 O 3 (ZnO) 5 powders was prepared by chemical plating. The Ni-Coated In 2 O 3 (ZnO) 5 powders was densified to composite bulk with Ni enrichment in the grain boundaries. The composite sample obtained a remarkably enhanced dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.39 at 973 K, which is 3.6 times higher than that of a pristine In 2 O 3 (ZnO) 5 sample.