What Is The Thermal Conductivity Of Aluminium Antimonide?

Aluminum antimonide (AlSb) is a semiconductor material with a thermal conductivity of about 0.3 W/mK at room temperature. Thermal conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct heat, and it is measured in units of watts per meter per Kelvin (W/mK).

The low thermal conductivity of AlSb can be attributed to its crystal structure, which consists of layers of aluminum and antimony atoms arranged in a zigzag pattern. This structure results in weak interatomic bonds, which limit the transfer of heat energy through the material.

The thermal conductivity of AlSb can also depend on other factors like temperature, impurities, and defects in the material. At higher temperatures, phonon scattering becomes more effective, reducing the thermal conductivity even further. Impurities and defects can also act as barriers to heat flow, leading to lower thermal conductivity values.

Overall, the low thermal conductivity of AlSb makes it a promising candidate for thermoelectric applications, where materials with low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity are desired to convert waste heat into useful energy.