Abstract
Earth abundant element clathrate phases are of interest for a number of applications ranging from photovoltaics to thermoelectrics. Silicon-containing type I clathrate is a framework structure with the stoichiometry A8-xSi46 (A = guest atom such as alkali metal) that can be tuned by alloying and doping with other elements. The type I clathrate framework can be described as being composed of two types of polyhedral cages made up of tetrahedrally coordinated Si: pentagonal dodecahedra with 20 atoms and tetrakaidecahedra with 24 atoms in the ratio of 2:6. The cation sites, A, are found in the center of each polyhedral cage. This review focuses on the newest discoveries in the group 13-silicon type I clathrate family: A8E8Si38 (A = alkali metal; E = Al, Ga) and their properties. Possible approaches to new phases based on earth abundant elements and their potential applications will be discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 714 |
Journal | Materials |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 2016 |
Keywords
- Photovoltaics
- Silicon
- Thermoelectrics
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)