Details of the Researcher

PHOTO

Zhicheng Huang
Section
Graduate School of Engineering
Job title
Assistant Professor
Degree

  • doctor of engineering (Tohoku University)

Research History 1

  • 2023/04 - Present
    Tohoku University　Graduate School of Engineering　Assistant Professor

Education 1

  • Tohoku University　Graduate School of Engineering　Department of Applied Physics

    2019/10 - 2023/04

Professional Memberships 2

  • 日本熱電学会

    2023/04 - Present

  • 応用物理学会

    2021 - Present

Research Interests 1

  • 熱電変換材料

Research Areas 2

  • Nanotechnology/Materials / Crystal engineering /

  • Nanotechnology/Materials / Structural and functional materials /

Awards 2

  1. 第26回応用物理研究奨励賞

    2023/03　東北大学大学院工学研究科応用物理学専攻

  2. Back cover (Journal of Materials Chemistry A)

    2023/02　Royal Society of Chemistry　Enhanced thermoelectric performance of p-type Mg2Sn single crystals via multi-scale defect engineering

Papers 21

  1. Power factor enhancement in magnetron sputtered bismuth telluride thermoelectric thin films by stress reduction

    Zhanran Han, Jincheng Yu, Hezhang Li, Bowen Cai, Yilin Jiang, Hua-Lu Zhuang, Zhengqin Wang, Lu Chen, Chen Chen, Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi, Yuzuru Miyazaki, Chao Wang, Xiaodong Liu, B.Layla Mehdi, Jing-Feng Li

    Journal of Materiomics　2026/07

    DOI： 10.1016/j.jmat.2026.101221 　

  2. A critical review of Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectric materials

    Hezhang Li, Jingwei Li, Md All Amin Newton, Jincheng Yu, Chen Chen, Zizhuang He, Lu Chen, Zhengqin Wang, Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi, Yuzuru Miyazaki, Chao Wang, Jing-Feng Li

    Applied Physics Express　2026/02/01

    DOI： 10.35848/1882-0786/ae3ec8 　

  3. CuI-enhanced thermoelectric performance in GeTe by synchronous modulation of hole concentration and thermal conductivity

    Li, H., Zhang, R., Dong, J., Wang, B., Jiang, Y., Yu, J., Shan, Z., Pei, J., Newton, M.A.A., Niu, Y., Jiang, J., Huang, Z., Cai, Y., Wang, C., Zhang, B.-P., Li, J.-F.

    Matter　2026

    DOI： 10.1016/j.matt.2025.102609 　

    ISSN： 2590-2393 2590-2385

  4. Precise control of conduction type of higher manganese silicide single crystals via vanadium and iron co-substitution

    Chiba, T., Hayashi, K., Huang, Z., Gao, P., Chauhan, N.S., Oyama, T., Kato, H., Miyazaki, Y.

    Journal of Alloys and Compounds　1057　2026

    DOI： 10.1016/j.jallcom.2026.186726 　

    ISSN： 0925-8388

  5. Research progress on Mn-based and Co-based Full-Heusler alloys

    Li, H., Newton, M.A.A., Chen, C., Huang, Z., Hayashi, K., Miyazaki, Y., Li, J.-F., Wang, C.

    Solid State Sciences　168　2025/10

    DOI： 10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2025.108019 　

    ISSN： 1293-2558

  6. Data-driven approach for potential iron-based half-Heusler thermoelectrics with chemical bonding characteristics

    Kei Hayashi, Yuzuru Miyazaki, Xue Nan, Zhicheng Huang

    Science Advances　2025/06/27

    DOI： 10.1126/sciadv.adw4514 　

  7. Dislocation Introduction via Domain Engineering in Mg2Sn Single Crystal to Improve its Thermoelectric Properties

    Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi, Wataru Saito, Hezhang Li, Jun Pei, Jinfeng Dong, Toshiaki Chiba, Xue Nan, Bo‐Ping Zhang, Jing‐Feng Li, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    Small Methods　2025/03/26

    Publisher: Wiley

    DOI： 10.1002/smtd.202500385 　

    ISSN： 2366-9608

    eISSN： 2366-9608

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    Abstract Dislocations have increasingly become important for improving the thermoelectric properties of thermoelectric materials due to their more pronounced scattering effect on phonons than on carriers. This study combined the introduction of the dislocation cores through domain engineering with the generation of Mg vacancies (VMg) by controlling point defects to achieve low lattice thermal conductivity and high power factor in n‐type and p‐type Mg2Sn single crystals (SCs). The VMg domain with ordered atomic arrangements allowed carrier transport with minimal scattering, while the high dislocation density at the interface effectively scattered phonons, thereby decoupling carrier‐phonon transport. This resulted in obtaining the peak zT values of 0.83(8) and 0.42(4) for n‐type and p‐type Mg2Sn SCs, respectively. The outstanding combination of domain engineering and point defect control techniques could be a strategy for developing high‐performance thermoelectric materials.

  8. Preparation, Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of Mg1-X Cu2+X O3

    Kazuma Uehara, Zhou Zihan, Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    ECS Meeting Abstracts　2024/11/22

    DOI： 10.1149/MA2024-0291345mtgabs 　

  9. Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of α-MgCu2O3

    Yuzuru Miyazaki, Kazuma Uehara, Zhou Zihan, Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi

    ECS Meeting Abstracts　2024/11/22

    DOI： 10.1149/MA2024-0291444mtgabs 　

  10. Enhancement of the thermoelectric performance of half-metallic full-Heusler Mn2VAl alloys via antisite defect engineering and Si partial substitution

    Zhicheng Huang

    JOURNAL OF MATERIOMICS　2024/03

    DOI： 10.1016/J.JMAT.2023.11.013 　

  11. Graphene-assisted synergistic electronic DOS modulation and phonon scattering to improve the thermoelectric performance of Mg3Sb2-based materials

    Qiang Zhang, Jiadang Li, Nagendra S. Chauhan, Lifei Wang, Zhicheng Huang, Wenhao Fan, Kei Hayashi, Shaoping Chen, Jianfeng Fan, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    Journal of Materials Chemistry A　2023/08/10

    Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

    DOI： 10.1039/d3ta02431h 　

    ISSN： 2050-7488

    eISSN： 2050-7496

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    Grain boundary (GB) scattering has been widely reckoned as a primary restraint on room-temperature (RT) carrier mobility in Mg3Sb2-based materials. In this work, two-dimensional graphene (G) with varied contents was added to single phase Mg3.24Sb1.5Bi0.49Te0.01 materials in order to tailor the highly resistive space-charge region at GBs. The results indicate that introducing G effectively lowers the carrier transport energy barrier Eb from 42 meV (pristine sample) to 18 meV (Mg3.24Sb1.5Bi0.49Te0.01/1.0 vol% G sample), and correspondingly increases the drift mobility by 112.5% from 32 cm2 V−1 s−1 to 68 cm2 V−1 s−1 at RT, leading to an enhanced power factor and thus ZT value. Besides, first-principles calculations were also performed to qualitatively bridge the underlying negative correlation between the electronic density of states (DOS) and GB potential barrier Eb. Moreover, the equivalent nano-particle phonon scattering is also realized through introducing the two-dimensional G, contributing to a moderate reduction in lattice thermal conductivity as quantitatively illustrated based on the Debye–Callaway model. Consequently, the figure of merit ZT for G-added samples is greatly improved in the entire temperature range compared with that of the G-free sample. This study opens up a new avenue for rationally engineering the grain boundary, via regulating interfacial electronic DOS, to optimize electrical transport properties and ZT values.

  12. Effects of Oxygen on Lattice Defects in Single-Crystalline Mg2Si Thermoelectrics

    Kei Hayashi, Sota Kawamura, Yusuke Hashimoto, Noboru Akao, Zhicheng Huang, Wataru Saito, Kaichi Tasaki, Koichi Hayashi, Tomohiro Matsushita, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    Nanomaterials　13　(7)　1222-1222　2023/03/30

    Publisher: MDPI AG

    DOI： 10.3390/nano13071222 　

    eISSN： 2079-4991

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    Lattice defect engineering has attracted attention due to its ability to develop thermoelectric materials with low thermal conductivity. For Mg2Si single crystals (SCs), Si vacancy (VSi) defects can be introduced and consequently result in the formation of dislocation cores. These lattice defects confer Mg2Si SCs with a lower thermal conductivity compared to Mg2Si polycrystals. To reveal a mechanism for the stabilisation of VSi in the Mg2Si SCs, we investigated the effects of oxygen (O) on lattice defects by performing electronic structure calculations, secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoelectron holography. On the basis of these calculations, we predicted that O stabilised the formation of VSi when it was located at the Si site or at an interstitial site. All experiments confirmed the presence of O inside the Mg2Si SCs. However, O was suggested to be located not at the specific site in the crystal lattice of Mg2Si but at dislocation cores. The interaction between O and the dislocation cores in the Mg2Si SC is expected to immobilise dislocation cores, leading to the stabilisation of VSi formation.

  13. Enhanced thermoelectric performance of p-type Mg2Sn single crystals via multi-scale defect engineering

    Zhicheng Huang

    JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A　2023

    DOI： 10.1039/D2TA08557G 　

  14. Realizing p-type Mg2Sn Thermoelectrics via Ga-Doping and Point Defect Engineering

    Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi, Wataru Saito, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    ACS Applied Energy Materials　4　(11)　13044-13050　2021/11/22

    Publisher: American Chemical Society ({ACS})

    DOI： 10.1021/acsaem.1c02678 　

    ISSN： 2574-0962

  15. Chemical-Pressure-Induced Point Defects Enable Low Thermal Conductivity for Mg2Sn and Mg2Si Single Crystals

    Wataru Saito, Kei Hayashi, Zhicheng Huang, Kazuya Sugimoto, Kenji Ohoyama, Naohisa Happo, Masahide Harada, Kenichi Oikawa, Yasuhiro Inamura, Kouichi Hayashi, Takamichi Miyazaki, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    ACS Applied Energy Materials　4　(5)　5123-5131　2021/05/24

    Publisher: American Chemical Society ({ACS})

    DOI： 10.1021/acsaem.1c00670 　

    ISSN： 2574-0962

  16. Enhancing the Thermoelectric Performance of Mg2Sn Single Crystals via Point Defect Engineering and Sb Doping

    Wataru Saito, Kei Hayashi, Zhicheng Huang, Jinfeng Dong, Jing-Feng Li, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces　12　(52)　57888-57897　2020/12/30

    Publisher: American Chemical Society ({ACS})

    DOI： 10.1021/acsami.0c17462 　

    ISSN： 1944-8244 1944-8252

  17. Temperature gradient cooling technique: Boosting high power factor of Bi2S3+ thermoelectric material

    Zhicheng Huang

    Journal of Alloys and Compounds　2020/07/25

    DOI： 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.154451 　

  18. Bi2Te3 single crystals with high room-temperature thermoelectric performance enhanced by manipulating point defects based on first-principles calculation

    Zhicheng Huang

    RSC Advances　2019/05/08

    DOI： 10.1039/c9ra01738k 　

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    <p>This study prepared Bi2Te3 single crystals and investigated the thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3 based on the electronic structure and formation energy of point defects which are calculated by density functional theory.</p>

  19. Preparation and Thermoelectric Property of n-type SnS

    Zhicheng Huang

    Journal of Inorganic Materials　2019/03

    DOI： 10.15541/jim20180293 　

  20. Enhanced photocatalytic activity in Ag-nanoparticle-dispersed BaTiO3 composite thin films: Role of charge transfer

    Zhicheng Huang

    Journal of Advanced Ceramics　2017/03

    DOI： 10.1007/s40145-016-0209-x 　

  21. SPR enhanced photocatalytic properties of Au-dispersed amorphous BaTiO3 nanocomposite thin films

    Zhang, S.W., Zhang, B.P., Li, S., Li, X.Y., Huang, Z.C.

    Journal of Alloys and Compounds　654　2016

    DOI： 10.1016/j.jallcom.2015.09.053 　

    ISSN： 0925-8388

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Presentations 7

  1. Enhancing Thermoelectric Properties of P-type Mg2Sn Single Crystals through Li/Si Co-Doping and Introduction of Lattice Defects

    Zhicheng Huang, Kei Hayashi, Jing-Feng Li, Yuzuru Miyazaki

    The 15th Pacific Rim Conference of Ceramic Societies (PACRIM15) & The 13th International Conference on High-Performance Ceramics (CICC-13)　2023/11/08

  2. Preparation and thermoelectric properties of nonstoichiometric full‐Heusler Mn2+xV1-xAl alloys

    G. Kanno, K. Hayashi, Z. Huang, H. Li, Y. Miyazaki

    19th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (ECT2023)

  3. Boron doping in n-type and p-type Mg2Sn on the generation of lattice defects leading to improved thermoelectric properties

    Z. Huang, K. Hayashi, W. Saito, H. Takeuchi, Y. Miyazaki

    39th Annual International cinference on Thermoelectrics (ICT2023)　2023/06/22

  4. Point Defects and Thermoelectric Properties of Melt‐grown Mg2Ge Single Crystals

    H. Takeuchi, Z. Huang, K. Hayashi, Y. Miyazaki

    18th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (ECT'22)　2022/09/14

  5. Crystal Structures and Thermoelectric Properties of Li-doped Mg2Sn Single Crystals

    Z. Huang, K. Hayashi, Y. Miyazaki

    2022/03/24

  6. The Crystal Structures and Thermoelectric Properties of Ag-doped Mg2Sn

    2021/03/17

  7. Influences of Mg vacancy and Ga atoms in p-type Mg2Sn1-xGax

    Z. Huang, K. Hayashi, W. Saito, J. Dong, J.-F. Li, Y. Miyazaki

    The 5th Asian Conference on Thermoelectrics (ACT5) &The 6th Southeast Asia Conference on Thermoelectrics (SACT6)　2020/12/17

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Industrial Property Rights 1

  1. 熱電材料および熱電材料の製造方法

    齋藤 亘, 林 慶, 黄 志成, 宮﨑 讓

    Property Type: Patent

    Holder: 国立大学法人東北大学

Research Projects 1

  1. 低熱伝導と高強度を両立する鉄基ハーフホイスラー熱電材料のボンドエンジニアリング

    宮崎 讓, 林 慶, 黄 志成

    Offer Organization: 日本学術振興会

    System: 科学研究費助成事業

    Category: 基盤研究(A)

    Institution: 東北大学

    2023/04/01 - 2027/03/31

    More details Close

    室温近傍における膨大な未利用排熱を有効利用可能な熱電発電技術に期待が高まっている。本研究では、研究代表者らのこれまでの先導的な研究を更に発展させ、化学結合における反結合性の寄与を考慮して機能発現を図るボンドエンジニアリングの学理を構築する。その指導原理に従って、高性能熱電材料に必須な発電出力に加え、従来考慮されずにいた高強度を具備した革新的発電モジュールを、鉄基ハーフホイスラー合金を対象として創出する。 本年度は、対象とすべき鉄基ハーフホイスラー合金系を明らかにするため、専用のワークステーションを備品として購入し、統合型第一原理計算・機械学習アルゴリズムの構築と候補物質の抽出を行った。200を超える組成の組み合わせから、個々の構造最適化を実施し、電子状態計算と輸送特性計算を行って、実現しうる熱電特性と機械的特性の相関を詳細に調べた。理想的な熱電材料は、その相関から外れた位置に存在するべきで、実際に３個程度の候補物質が見出された。また、それらの候補物質の合成を実際に試み、結晶構造解析および熱電特性評価を行った。鉄基ハーフホイスラー合金の多くは、単に熔融しただけでは得られない低温相が殆どであることから、適切なアニール条件を探索し、Ｘ線回折実験によって目的相の生成の可否を調べた。さらに予備的な熱電特性評価を行い、出力因子と熱伝導率のデータを取得した。また、一部の試料についてはビッカース硬度測定を行って機械的強度を評価し、第一原理計算による予測値と比較検討した。

Media Coverage 6

  1. 東北大学など、熱電性能の高いマグネシウム・スズ化合物p型単結晶

    日経BP　日経XTECH

    2023/01/26

    Type: Internet

  2. 性能26倍、東北大などがマグネシウム・スズ化合物の熱電変換性能向上

    2023/01/16

    Type: Internet

  3. p型でも熱電性能が高いマグネシウムスズ化合物の単結晶を作製 東北大学

    MEITEC　fabcross for エンジニア

    2023/01/16

    Type: Internet

  4. 東北大など、マグネシウム・スズ化合物の熱電変換性能向上 一部リチウム置換で性能26倍

    日刊工業新聞社　日刊工業新聞電子版

    2023/01/13

    Type: Internet

  5. マグネシウム・スズ化合物 熱電変換性能高める 東北大など

    日刊工業新聞社　日刊工業新聞　19面

    2023/01/13

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

  6. 東北大、有力な熱電材料マグネシウムスズ化合物のp型性能で記録更新

    日本経済新聞社　日本経済新聞

    2023/01/12

    Type: Newspaper, magazine

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