Date & Time: Mar 20 2026 | 12 - 1pm Location: iSTEM Building 2, Room 1218 Structurally complex charge-balanced polar intermetallic compounds, such as Zintl pnictides (i.e., those containing Group 15 elements) and heteroanionic pnictide oxides, are promising candidates for advancing thermoelectric technology. We present novel layered Zintl pnictide oxides Ba2Zn2Pn2O (Pn = As, Sb, Bi), which feature two distinct [Zn2Pn2O]2− anionic substructures composed of corner-sharing, distorted tetrahedral ZnPn3O units. We provide insights into the chemical pressure-induced band engineering strategies aimed at enhancing thermoelectric performance within the Ba2Zn2Sb2−xBixO system and investigate the effect of high pressure (up to 40 GPa) on the evolution of the band structure in Ba2Zn2As2O. In addition, we discuss the application of high pressure as a valuable tool for probing polymorphism in binary Zintl phases. Type of Event: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar Research Areas: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Prof. Sviatoslav Baranets Department: Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry LSU Learn more about Prof. Baranets and his work: https://faculty.lsu.edu/baranets/index.php
