Investigation of the thermoelectrical properties of the Sn91.2-x-Zn8.8-Agx alloys

Sn91.2-x-Zn-8.8-Ag-x alloys (x = 0.15-10.0 wt%) were directionally solidified upwards at a constant G (4.16 K mm(-1)) and V (41.5 mu m s(-1)) in a Bridgman-type directional solidification furnace. The electrical resistivity (rho) measurements of the alloys depending on the temperature were performed using the standard four-point probe method, and the temperature coefficients of the resistivities (alpha) were calculated. Composition analyses of the alloys were carried out using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The enthalpy (a dagger H) and the specific heat (a dagger C (p)) values of the alloys were determined by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The thermal conductivity (K) values were obtained from the Wiedemann-Franz equation. According to the experimental results, electrical resistivities increased up to 3.0 mass% Ag and decreased with further increase in Ag content. Enthalpy and specific heat values decreased with the increasing content of Ag. The results were compared with the previous works for Sn-Zn-Ag alloys.