| The use of preconfigured elemental multilayer reactant stacks (PEMRS) has been shown to be a successful strategy for the synthesis of [(Bi 2Te3)x(TiTe2)y] (where x and y denote the layers of each component) layered nanostructured materials (LNM) if the PEMRS are close in structure to the final desired kinetically stable product. A calibration technique was developed to achieve the correct stoichiometry as well as the correct amount of material to achieve integer values of x and y in each component layer of the LNM. It was shown that x and y could be varied to give a wide variety of LNM structures by depositing different PEMRS and gently annealing ex-vivo. Data on this structural evolution from the PEMRS to the kinetically stable LNMs and a possible mechanism of formation is presented. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data was used to obtain the structures of the LNM, and these structures are discussed.; The effect of small structural changes and their impact on electrical properties was determined. A bulk amount of [(Bi2Te3) 5(TiTe2)4] LNM was synthesized and hot pressed into a 2 mm x 2 mm x 8 mm pellet and was evaluated as a thermoelectric material.; This work consists, in part, of previously published and coauthored material. |
