Incorporation of indium into the Zn13Sb10 thermoelectric material

The composition of the In-substituted Zn13Sb10 phases follows the Zn13-1.5xInxSb10 charge-balanced formula and the reduction in the Zn content is due to the In3+ oxidation state, compared to the Zn2+ oxidation state. Zn deficiency in the In-doped samples is supported by the X-ray powder diffraction and EDS elemental analyses. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction refinement backs the Zn deficiency by revealing absence of Zn atoms in the interstitial sites and decreased occupancy of the main Zn site.