High thermoelectric performance of Cu3SbSe4 nanocrystals with Cu2−xSe in situ inclusions synthesized by a microwave-assisted solvothermal method

Dandan Xie; Bin Zhang; Aijuan Zhang; Yongjin Chen; Yanci Yan; Hengquan Yang; Guiwen Wang; Guoyu Wang; Xiaodong Han; Guang Han; Xu Lu; Xiaoyuan Zhou

doi:10.1039/C8NR03550D

High thermoelectric performance of Cu₃SbSe₄ nanocrystals with Cu_2−xSe in situ inclusions synthesized by a microwave-assisted solvothermal method†

Dandan Xie,^a Bin Zhang,^b Aijuan Zhang,^a Yongjin Chen,^c Yanci Yan,^ad Hengquan Yang,^a Guiwen Wang,^b Guoyu Wang,

^d Xiaodong Han,^c Guang Han,

*^e Xu Lu

*^a and Xiaoyuan Zhou

*^ab

Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

^a Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Smart Materials, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
E-mail: luxu@cqu.edu.cn, xiaoyuan2013@cqu.edu.cn

^b Analytical and Testing Center, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China

^c Beijing Key Laboratory and Institute of Microstructure and Property of Advanced Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, P. R. China

^d Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China

^e College of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
E-mail: guang.han@cqu.edu.cn

Abstract

(Ag,Sn) co-doped Cu₃SbSe₄ nanocrystals are obtained via a facile microwave-assisted solvothermal method, and their thermoelectric properties are investigated in the temperature range from 300 K to 623 K. Sn-doping on Sb sites dramatically increases the carrier concentration and thus the electrical conductivity, promoting the thermoelectric power factor. Further alloying with Ag on Cu sites strongly suppresses the lattice thermal conductivity close to the glass limit. Aside from point defect scattering, such reduction in lattice thermal conductivity largely relies on the formation of Cu_2−xSe nanoinclusions, which serve as additional scattering centers for phonons. Overall, the sample with the nominal composition of Cu_2.8Ag_0.2Sb_0.95Sn_0.05Se₄ reaches a minimum lattice thermal conductivity of 0.27 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ and a maximum zT of 1.18 at 623 K, which is the best result for the Cu₃SbSe₄-based materials in the same temperature region. Our results demonstrate that the microwave-assisted synthesis method is capable of fabricating Cu based ternary compounds with high thermoelectric performance.

Nanoscale

High thermoelectric performance of Cu₃SbSe₄ nanocrystals with Cu_2−xSe in situ inclusions synthesized by a microwave-assisted solvothermal method†

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High thermoelectric performance of Cu₃SbSe₄ nanocrystals with Cu_2−xSe in situ inclusions synthesized by a microwave-assisted solvothermal method

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