Nanostructuring and improved performance of ternary Bi–Sb–Te thermoelectric materials

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2008-08, Vol.92 (2), p.321-324
• Main Authors: Cao, Y.Q., Zhu, T.J., Zhao, X.B., Zhang, X.B., Tu, J.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Conductivity phenomena in semiconductors and insulators; Electronic transport in condensed matter; Exact sciences and technology; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thermoelectric and thermomagnetic effects; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-008-4518-y

A ternary (Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 bulk nanostructured thermoelectric compound has been prepared by a combination of hydrothermal synthesis and hot pressing. It was found that the grain sizes of the hot-pressed bulk sample vary from tens to hundreds of nanometers, which would be favorable to enhance the scattering of both carriers and phonons, resulting in a high Seebeck coefficient with a satisfactory electrical conductivity and a very low thermal conductivity. The highest figure of merit ZT of the nanostructured (Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 bulk sample reaches 1.28 at 303 K, which is not only remarkably higher than the zone-melted one, but also higher than commercial state-of-the-art Bi 2 Te 3 -based materials.