Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu2Se via Nanostructure and Compositional Gradient

Lin Bo; Fujin Li; Yangbo Hou; Min Zuo; Degang Zhao

doi:10.3390/nano12040640

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Cu₂Se via Nanostructure and Compositional Gradient

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Feb 14;12(4):640. doi: 10.3390/nano12040640.

Authors

Lin Bo¹, Fujin Li¹, Yangbo Hou², Min Zuo¹, Degang Zhao¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
² Heze Institute of Product Inspection and Testing, Heze 274000, China.

Abstract

Forming co-alloying solid solutions has long been considered as an effective strategy for improving thermoelectric performance. Herein, the dense Cu_2-x(MnFeNi)_xSe (x = 0-0.09) with intrinsically low thermal conductivity was prepared by a melting-ball milling-hot pressing process. The influences of nanostructure and compositional gradient on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of Cu₂Se were evaluated. It was found that the thermal conductivity decreased from 1.54 Wm^-1K^-1 to 0.64 Wm^-1K^-1 at 300 K via the phonon scattering mechanisms caused by atomic disorder and nano defects. The maximum zT value for the Cu_1.91(MnFeNi)_0.09Se sample was 1.08 at 750 K, which was about 27% higher than that of a pristine sample.

Keywords: interfacial engineering; multi-scale scattering centers; nanostructured; thermoelectric material.

Abstract

Grants and funding