Enhanced thermoelectric performance through carrier scattering at heterojunction potentials in BiSbTe based composites with Cu3SbSe4 nanoinclusions. Issue 27 (15th June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yuanyue; Li, Di; Qin, Xiaoying; Yang, Xiuhui; Liu, Yongfei; Zhang, Jian; Dou, Yunchen; Song, Chunjun; Xin, Hongxing
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 3:Issue 27(2015)
• Page Start: 7045
• Page End: 7052
• Publication Date: 2015-06-15
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Optical materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Electronics -- Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c5tc01318f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7526

Abstract

Abstract : Owing to enhanced power factor and reduced lattice thermal conductivity through interface scattering, a largest thermoelectric figure of merit ZT = 1.61 is achieved at 467 K for BiSbTe based composite with Cu3 SbSe4 nanoinclusions. Abstract : Thermoelectric materials with the thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, being much larger than unit at near room temperature are vital for power generation by using low-grade waste heat. Here we show that by incorporating very small proportion (1 vol%) of Cu3 SbSe4 nanoparticles into the BiSbTe matrix to form nanocomposites, besides large (∼50%) reduction of lattice thermal conductivity, both enhanced thermopower through energy-dependent scattering and alleviated reduction of carrier mobility via carrier scattering at heterojunction potentials occur at elevated temperatures, which allow the thermoelectric power factor of the composite material to reach ∼37 μW cm −1 K −2 at 467 K. Consequently, a largest value of ZT = 1.6 is achieved at 476 K. Moreover, it has excellent performance in a broad temperature range (say, ZT = 1.0 at 300 K and ZT = 1.5 at 500 K), which makes this material attractive for cooling and power generation.