Abstract
The introduction of an alkaline earth metal telluride as a second phase in PbTe can lead to very high thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, as a result of hierarchical structuring, e.g., in the PbTe-SrTe system. However, there are two roadblocks to this strategy: poor solubility and occurrence of incoherent nanoprecipitates in the PbTe matrix, e.g., the PbTe-BaTe system. Here we demonstrate a dual alloying approach by simultaneously alloying CaTe and BaTe in the p-type PbTe matrix to achieve ZTmax ranging up to ∼2.2 at high temperatures. Synergistic enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient via favorable band convergence gives rise to higher power factors up to 34 μW cm-1 K-2 and significant suppression of lattice thermal conductivity, IL, down to ∼0.6 W m-1 K-1 results from large multicenter phonon scattering. Additionally, co-inclusion of Ca and Ba causes unanticipated lattice hardening in otherwise brittle PbTe, essential for practical device applications.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2593-2601 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | ACS Energy Letters |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 12 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry (miscellaneous)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Fuel Technology
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Materials Chemistry
Cite this
Dual Alloying Strategy to Achieve a High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit and Lattice Hardening in p-Type Nanostructured PbTe. / Sarkar, Sumanta; Zhang, Xiaomi; Hao, Shiqiang; Hua, Xia; Bailey, Trevor P.; Uher, Ctirad; Wolverton, Chris; Dravid, Vinayak P.; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.
In: ACS Energy Letters, Vol. 3, No. 10, 12.10.2018, p. 2593-2601.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Dual Alloying Strategy to Achieve a High Thermoelectric Figure of Merit and Lattice Hardening in p-Type Nanostructured PbTe
AU - Sarkar, Sumanta
AU - Zhang, Xiaomi
AU - Hao, Shiqiang
AU - Hua, Xia
AU - Bailey, Trevor P.
AU - Uher, Ctirad
AU - Wolverton, Chris
AU - Dravid, Vinayak P.
AU - Kanatzidis, Mercouri G
PY - 2018/10/12
Y1 - 2018/10/12
N2 - The introduction of an alkaline earth metal telluride as a second phase in PbTe can lead to very high thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, as a result of hierarchical structuring, e.g., in the PbTe-SrTe system. However, there are two roadblocks to this strategy: poor solubility and occurrence of incoherent nanoprecipitates in the PbTe matrix, e.g., the PbTe-BaTe system. Here we demonstrate a dual alloying approach by simultaneously alloying CaTe and BaTe in the p-type PbTe matrix to achieve ZTmax ranging up to ∼2.2 at high temperatures. Synergistic enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient via favorable band convergence gives rise to higher power factors up to 34 μW cm-1 K-2 and significant suppression of lattice thermal conductivity, IL, down to ∼0.6 W m-1 K-1 results from large multicenter phonon scattering. Additionally, co-inclusion of Ca and Ba causes unanticipated lattice hardening in otherwise brittle PbTe, essential for practical device applications.
AB - The introduction of an alkaline earth metal telluride as a second phase in PbTe can lead to very high thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, as a result of hierarchical structuring, e.g., in the PbTe-SrTe system. However, there are two roadblocks to this strategy: poor solubility and occurrence of incoherent nanoprecipitates in the PbTe matrix, e.g., the PbTe-BaTe system. Here we demonstrate a dual alloying approach by simultaneously alloying CaTe and BaTe in the p-type PbTe matrix to achieve ZTmax ranging up to ∼2.2 at high temperatures. Synergistic enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient via favorable band convergence gives rise to higher power factors up to 34 μW cm-1 K-2 and significant suppression of lattice thermal conductivity, IL, down to ∼0.6 W m-1 K-1 results from large multicenter phonon scattering. Additionally, co-inclusion of Ca and Ba causes unanticipated lattice hardening in otherwise brittle PbTe, essential for practical device applications.
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U2 - 10.1021/acsenergylett.8b01684
DO - 10.1021/acsenergylett.8b01684
M3 - Article
VL - 3
SP - 2593
EP - 2601
JO - ACS Energy Letters
JF - ACS Energy Letters
SN - 2380-8195
IS - 10
ER -