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Published July 23, 2014 | public
Journal Article

Thermoelectric Performance of n‑Type (PbTe)_(0.75)(PbS)_(0.15)(PbSe)_(0.1) Composites

Abstract

Lead chalcogenides (PbQ, Q = Te, Se, S) have proved to possess high thermoelectric efficiency for both n-type and p-type compounds. Recent success in tuning of electronic band structure, including manipulating the band gap, multiple bands, or introducing resonant states, has led to a significant improvement in the thermoelectric performance of p-type lead chalcogenides compared to the n-type ones. Here, the n-type quaternary composites of (PbTe)_(0.75)(PbS)_(0.15)(PbSe)_(0.1) are studied to evaluate the effects of nanostructuring on lattice thermal conductivity, carrier mobility, and effective mass variation. The results are compared with the similar ternary systems of (PbTe)_(1–x)(PbSe)_x, (PbSe)_(1–x)(PbS)_x, and (PbS)_(1–x)(PbTe)_x. The reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity owing to phonon scattering at the defects and interfaces was found to be compensated by reduced carrier mobility. This results in a maximum figure of merit, zT, of ~1.1 at 800 K similar to the performance of the single phase alloys of PbTe, PbSe, and (PbTe)_(1–x)(PbSe)_x.

Additional Information

© 2014 American Chemical Society. Received: April 8, 2014 Accepted: June 24, 2014. Published: June 24, 2014. This work is supported by Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Award DE130100310, the Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST) of Australia, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research − Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (AFOSR-MURI), and Russian Ministry of Education.

Additional details

Created:
August 20, 2023
Modified:
October 17, 2023