Abstract
A facile and efficient way in optimizing thermoelectric performance of Bi2Te3 alloy was reported through synergy of Pb acceptor doping and superstructure modulation. By varying the amount of Pb doping, the substitutional defect $${\text{Pb}}^{\prime}_{\text{Bi}}$$, arranging along the c-axis of PbBi2Te4 and PbBi4Te7 and acting as electron acceptor and superstructure, was formed successively in the Bi2Te3 matrix. This significantly reduced the lattice thermal conductivity and suppressed the bipolar effect. The figure of merit was enhanced and modulated, exhibiting a peak ZT of 1.06 and a broadened and optimized average ZT of 0.9 in a wide temperature range of 323–503 K.
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