Optimal performance of Cu1.8S1−xTex thermoelectric materials fabricated via high-pressure process at room temperature

• DOI: 10.1007/s40145-020-0385-6
• Publication Date: 2020-07-09T10:05:31Z
• Authors: Rui Zhang; Jun Pei; Zhi-Jia Han; Yin Wu; Zhao Zhao; Bo-Ping Zhang
• Keywords: Cu1.8S; high pressure; TP785-869; nanostructure; Te doping; Clay industries. Ceramics. Glass; 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; thermoelectric (TE)

Abstract Cu 1.8 S has been considered as a potential thermoelectric (TE) material for its stable electrical and thermal properties, environmental benignity, low cost. Herein, the TE properties of nanostructured 1− x Te (0 ⩽ 0.2) bulks fabricated by facile process combining mechanical alloying (MA) room-temperature high-pressure sintering (RT-HPS) technique were optimized via eliminating volatilization element suppressing grain growth. Experimentally, single phase was obtained at = 0, second 1.96 formed in all samples when 0.05 0.125. With further increasing to 0.15 0.2, 2− z detected consisted S, phases. Benefiting from modified band structure coexisted phases Te, power factor is enhanced (0.05 alloys. Combining with drastic decrease conductivity due strengthened phonon scatterings multiscale defects introduced doping nano-grain boundaries, maximum figure merit ( ZT ) 0.352 reached 623 K 0.875 0.125 , which 171% higher than that (0.130). The study demonstrates an effective strategy improve performance based materials proposed method combing MA RT-HPS way fabricate bulks.