Abstract
Lead-free, environment-friendly Cu4Mn2Te4 has received substantial attention as a potential thermoelectric material for intermediate temperature power generation. Cu4Mn2Te4 is p-type metallic characterized by the carrier concentration on the order of 1021 cm–3. In this work, we prove that its electrical and thermal properties could be manipulated through adding transition metals, Co or Ni, and the accompanied formation of secondary CoTe or NiTe phases. Benefiting from the simultaneously enhanced power factor and reduced thermal conductivity, relatively high zT values were obtained, leading to 300% enhancement over that of the pristine Cu4Mn2Te4. These zT values are among the best results ever reported for spinel chalcogenides. This work opens the door for fabricating superior copper chalcogenides through addition of transition metals.
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