Abstract
Heavily doped degenerate semiconductors such as Cu2SnSe3 (CTSe) attracted attention in thermoelectric (TE) and optoelectronic fields, due to their high electrical conductivity and small band gap. The small Seebeck coefficient of undoped CTSe, however, is the major issue in achieving high TE performance (figure of merit, ZT). Here, we report that the Seebeck coefficient of CTSe can be controlled by adding SnS within a CTSe matrix. CTSe-SnS composite has not only high Seebeck coefficient in the range of 300–500 µVolt/K but thermal conductivity which is lower than that of pristine CTSe due to the scattering at the interface between the matrix and the SnS particles. A reasonable ZT of 0.18 is achieved at 570 K by adding a small amount (3 wt.%) of SnS to the CTSe matrix.
Highlights
Thermoelectric (TE) materials are the subject of great interest for scientists and engineers, as it can directly convert waste heat into electricity [1,2]
The TE efficiency of materials is generally governed by the dimensionless figure of merit TE performance (ZT) = σS2 T/κ, where σ is electrical conductivity, S is Seebeck coefficient, T is absolute temperature and κ is the thermal conductivity
The total thermal conductivity can be further divided into lattice thermal conductivity and carrier thermal conductivity
Summary
Thermoelectric (TE) materials are the subject of great interest for scientists and engineers, as it can directly convert waste heat into electricity [1,2]. The TE efficiency of materials is generally governed by the dimensionless figure of merit TE performance (ZT) = σS2 T/κ, where σ is electrical conductivity, S is Seebeck coefficient, T is absolute temperature and κ is the thermal conductivity. The total thermal conductivity can be further divided into lattice thermal conductivity (κl ) and carrier thermal conductivity (κe ). A good TE material should have a large σ and S with low κ [3]. The ultimate goal of TE research is to develop TE materials with high TE performance. Alloying of compounds results in disorder and lattice distortion, which enhances the phonon scattering and decreases the thermal conductivity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
