Exploration of n-type oxides by high throughput screening

A new high throughput method has been developed enabling same-day synthesis and screening of 1000 samples of thermoelectric oxides according to their Seebeck coefficients at room temperature. Aqueous solutions of metal nitrates are used as starting materials. In 1 h, a single library of 100 samples can be prepared on a 100 mm. x 100 turn alumina plate for heat treatment. After the heat treatment, evaluation of Seebeck coefficient is carried out using a two-terminal method at a rate of 650 samples/h. For both synthesis and evaluation, a distribution machine and a 'Seebeck tester' were designed by the authors. The validity of this method is proved by screening M-Co-O libraries. Some samples in the binary systems of Ni show n-type response. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.