Electrodeposition of Metal Chalcogenides Nanostructures for Thermoelectrics

Abstract

Metal Chalcogenide nanostructures have been extensively implemented for high-performance thermoelectric applications, which can directly convert waste-heat-energy into electricity, with the support of theoretical and empirical results. In fact, finding a novel and cost effective synthesis approach that facilitates the formation of stable and reproducible nanostructured thermoelectric materials determines the commercial applicability. The overall objective of this work is to synthesize metal chalcogenide nanostructures with outstanding thermoelectric performance by an electrodeposition technique, which is one of the most versatile methods for low dimensional nanostructures in a cost effective and scalable manner. Precise control over dimension, chemical composition, crystallinity, crystal structure, grain size, preferred orientation, and the attainment of nanoinclusions and/or intermediate phases based on thermodynamically favored solid-state phase transition yields optimal electrical transport and thermoelectric properties of the metal chalcogenide nanostructures. Herein, the electrodeposited nanostructures represented the enhancement of Seebeck coefficient without reducing the conductivity was investigated that was explained by a carrier energy filtering effect due to the band bending at the two-phase interfaces.