Chapter 13 - Thermoelectric properties of sulfide and selenide-based materials

Abstract

Research into thermoelectricity is rapidly moving toward attaining higher power conversion efficiency using eco-friendly materials. In recent years, metal sulfide and selenides are established as potential thermoelectric materials to replace traditional tellurium-based materials with the advantage of facile material processing and excellent tunable band structure. These compounds complex crystal structure, native defects, and low covalent nature contribute to high power factor and ultralow lattice thermal conductivity. However, structural optimization needed to attain perfect phonon-glass electron-crystal behavior remains a significant challenge. This chapter discusses the recent developments of metal sulfide and selenide-based thermoelectric materials through nanoengineering, defect engineering, and structural engineering to improve thermoelectric efficiency. This chapter also provides a clear insight into the optimization strategies and their impact on enhancing the figure-of-merit of sulfide and selenide-based materials.