Thermoelectric transport properties of Pb–Sn–Te–Se system

Abstract

IV–VI compounds are considered as promising thermoelectric materials, and high thermoelectric performance was achieved in IV–VI solid solutions. In this work, the thermoelectric properties of Pb–Sn–Te–Se-based solid solutions were systematically investigated. Among these solid solutions, it is found that a figure of merit (ZT) peak value of 1.0 at 873 K can be obtained in (PbTe)0.5(SnTe)0.5, on account of the combination of superior electrical properties in SnTe and low thermal conductivity in PbTe. Furthermore, we investigated and summarized the thermoelectric transport properties and proposed the thermoelectric performance maps for the IV–VI solid solutions in Pb–Sn–Te–Se system. This comprehensive investigation on Pb–Sn–Te–Se-based solid solutions can effectively guide and scan thermoelectric performance for a given unknown composition and enhance the thermoelectric properties in IV–VI compounds.