2 + 2 = 3: Making Ternary Phases through a Binary Approach

New work from the Kauzlarich group in collaboration with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory looks to unveil the mysteries of solid-state reactions. The investigation into the formation of Yb₁₄MSb₁₁ (M = Al, Mn, Mg), a high efficiency thermoelectric material, from the elements and binaries revealed a pathway for the direct formation of high purity complex ternary phases in balanced stoichiometric reactions utilizing binary precursors.

More information at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c04031

The formation of Yb₁₄MnSb₁₁ directly from a mixture of Yb₄Sb₃, MnSb, and YbH₂. This phase exhibits high thermoelectric performance at high temperatures and is under consideration for the next generation of radioisotope thermoelectric generator for deep space exploration.