# Nanostructured clathrates and clathrate-based nanocomposites

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how nanostructuring intermetallic clathrates, using methods like melt spinning and ball milling, can lower thermal conductivity and improve thermoelectric efficiency, including studies on nanowires and composites.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that nanostructuring techniques can further reduce thermal conductivity in clathrates, enhancing their thermoelectric performance beyond bulk properties.

## Key findings

- Nanostructuring reduces lattice thermal conductivity.
- Optimized processing stabilizes nanostructures.
- Clathrate nanowires serve as model systems.

## Abstract

Intermetallic clathrates are candidate materials for thermoelectric applications above room temperature. Here we explore whether their intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivities can be further reduced by nanostructuring and whether this can further enhance their thermoelectric performance.}{As bulk nanostructuring routes we studied melt spinning and ball milling. To optimize the compaction process and/or stabilize the nanostructure we varied the process parameters, used additives, and studied clathrate-based composites. Initial results on clathate nanowires as simpler model nanostructures are also presented.