Study on the Control of Electrical and Thermal Transport Properties of Indium Oxide Thermoelectric Materials for Aiye Processing Equipment by Cerium Doping

To address the low energy conversion efficiency and weak mechanical strength of In₂O₃ thermoelectric materials for Aiye Processing Equipment, this study systematically investigated the regulatory effects and mechanisms of Ce doping on In₂O₃’s thermoelectric and mechanical properties via experiments. In₂O₃ samples with varying Ce contents were prepared, and property-microstructure correlations were analyzed through electrical/thermal transport tests, Vickers hardness measurements, and crystal structure characterization. Results show Ce doping synergistically optimizes In₂O₃ properties through multiple mechanisms. For thermoelectric performance, Ce⁴⁺ regulates carrier concentration and mobility, enhancing electrical conductivity and power factor. Meanwhile, lattice distortion from Ce-In atomic size differences strengthens phonon scattering, reducing lattice and total thermal conductivity. These effects boost the maximum ZT from 0.055 (pure In₂O₃) to 0.328 at 973 K obtained by x = 0.0065, improving energy conversion efficiency significantly. For mechanical properties, Ce doping enhances Vickers hardness and plastic deformation resistance via solid solution strengthening (lattice distortion hinders dislocations), microstructure densification (reducing vacancies/pores), Ce-O bond strengthening, and defect pinning. This study confirms Ce doping as an effective strategy for simultaneous optimization of In₂O₃’s thermoelectric and mechanical properties, providing experimental/theoretical support for oxide thermoelectric material development and valuable references for their medium-low temperature energy recovery applications.