Spark plasma sintering of Ruddlesden–Popper Ca₂−xDyxMnO₄ ceramics: Impact on thermoelectric and mechanical performance

Abstract n ‐type Dy‐doped Ca 2 MnO 4 powders with the Ruddlesden–Popper structure were synthesized by the combustion method and sintered by conventional sintering and spark plasma sintering (SPS). Conventional sintering fails to densify Ca 2 MnO 4 , but the addition of Li 2 O proves to be a highly effective sintering additive, albeit with a detrimental impact on electrical conductivity. In contrast, SPS at 850°C for 1 min yields nanostructured, nearly fully dense samples, demonstrating superior outcomes. The dimensionless figure of merit ZT reaches 0.02 at 750°C. Additionally, the best sample exhibits a remarkable hardness value of 10.7 GPa, underlining the excellent mechanical properties achieved through this innovative approach.