1
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Wan S, Xiao S, Li M, Wang X, Lim KH, Hong M, Ibáñez M, Cabot A, Liu Y. Band Engineering Through Pb-Doping of Nanocrystal Building Blocks to Enhance Thermoelectric Performance in Cu 3SbSe 4. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2301377. [PMID: 38152986 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Developing cost-effective and high-performance thermoelectric (TE) materials to assemble efficient TE devices presents a multitude of challenges and opportunities. Cu3SbSe4 is a promising p-type TE material based on relatively earth abundant elements. However, the challenge lies in its poor electrical conductivity. Herein, an efficient and scalable solution-based approach is developed to synthesize high-quality Cu3SbSe4 nanocrystals doped with Pb at the Sb site. After ligand displacement and annealing treatments, the dried powders are consolidated into dense pellets, and their TE properties are investigated. Pb doping effectively increases the charge carrier concentration, resulting in a significant increase in electrical conductivity, while the Seebeck coefficients remain consistently high. The calculated band structure shows that Pb doping induces band convergence, thereby increasing the effective mass. Furthermore, the large ionic radius of Pb2+ results in the generation of additional point and plane defects and interphases, dramatically enhancing phonon scattering, which significantly decreases the lattice thermal conductivity at high temperatures. Overall, a maximum figure of merit (zTmax) ≈ 0.85 at 653 K is obtained in Cu3Sb0.97Pb0.03Se4. This represents a 1.6-fold increase compared to the undoped sample and exceeds most doped Cu3SbSe4-based materials produced by solid-state, demonstrating advantages of versatility and cost-effectiveness using a solution-based technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanhong Wan
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, P. R. China
| | - Shanshan Xiao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, P. R. China
| | - Mingquan Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, P. R. China
| | - Xin Wang
- Center of Analysis and Test, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, P. R. China
| | - Khak Ho Lim
- Institute of Zhejiang University-Quzhou, 99 Zheda Rd, Quzhou, 324000, P. R. China
| | - Min Hong
- Centre for Future Materials, and School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Central, Queensland, 4300, Australia
| | - Maria Ibáñez
- IST Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | - Andreu Cabot
- Catalonia Institute for Energy Research-IREC, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Barcelona, 08930, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats - ICREA, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Yu Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Reaction Engineering School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, P. R. China
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2
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Zhou F, Zhou W, Zhao Y, Liu L. Green Synthesis and Morphological Evolution for Bi 2Te 3 Nanosystems via a PVP-Assisted Hydrothermal Method. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2894. [PMID: 37947738 PMCID: PMC10648214 DOI: 10.3390/nano13212894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Bi2Te3 has been extensively used because of its excellent thermoelectric properties at room temperature. Here, 230-420 nm of Bi2Te3 hexagonal nanosheets has been successfully synthesized via a "green" method by using ethylene glycol solution and applying polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as a surfactant. In addition, factors influencing morphological evolution are discussed in detail in this study. Among these parameters, the reaction temperature, molar mass of NaOH, different surfactants, and reaction duration are considered as the most essential. The results show that the existence of PVP is vital to the formation of a plate-like morphology. The reaction temperature and alkaline surroundings played essential roles in the formation of Bi2Te3 single crystals. By spark plasma sintering, the Bi2Te3 hexagonal nanosheets were hot pressed into solid-state samples. We also studied the transport properties of solid-state samples. The electrical conductivity σ was 18.5 × 103 Sm-1 to 28.69 × 103 Sm-1, and the Seebeck coefficient S was -90.4 to -113.3 µVK-1 over a temperature range of 300-550 K. In conclusion, the observation above could serve as a catalyst for future exploration into photocatalysis, solar cells, nonlinear optics, thermoelectric generators, and ultraviolet selective photodetectors of Bi2Te3 nanosheet-based photodetectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Zhou
- Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Department of Foundation Course, Hunan Police College, Changsha 410138, China;
- School of Physics and Electronics, Synergetic Innovation Center for Quantum Effects and Application, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province and Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Weichang Zhou
- School of Physics and Electronics, Synergetic Innovation Center for Quantum Effects and Application, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province and Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Yujing Zhao
- School of Physics and Electronics, Synergetic Innovation Center for Quantum Effects and Application, Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Matter Microstructure and Function of Hunan Province and Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
- School of Physics, Electronictechnology and Intelligent Manufacturing, Huaihua University, Huaihua 418008, China
| | - Li Liu
- School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UK;
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3
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Yuan Z, Zhao X, Wang C, Hang S, Li M, Liu Y. Exploring Material Properties and Device Output Performance of a Miniaturized Flexible Thermoelectric Generator Using Scalable Synthesis of Bi 2Se 3 Nanoflakes. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:1937. [PMID: 37446453 DOI: 10.3390/nano13131937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental heat-to-electric energy conversion presents a promising solution for powering sensors in wearable and portable devices. However, the availability of near-room temperature thermoelectric (TE) materials is highly limited, posing a significant challenge in this field. Bi2Se3, as a room-temperature TE material, has attracted much attention. Here, we demonstrate a large-scale synthesis of Bi2Se3 nanoflakes used for the microflexible TE generator. A high-performance micro-TE generator module, utilizing a flexible printed circuit, has been designed and fabricated through the process of screen printing. The TE generator configuration comprises five pairs of PN TE legs. The p-type TE leg utilizes commercially available Sb2Te3 powder, while the n-type TE leg employs Bi2Se3 nanoflakes synthesized in this study. For comparative purposes, we also incorporate commercially available Bi2Se3 powder as an alternative n-type TE leg. The optimal performance of the single-layer microflexible TE generator, employing Bi2Se3 nanoflakes as the active material, is achieved when operating at a temperature differential of 109.5 K, the open-circuit voltage (VOC) is 0.11 V, the short circuit current (ISC) is 0.34 mA, and the maximum output power (PMAX) is 9.5 μW, much higher than the generator consisting of commercial Bi2Se3 powder, which is expected to provide an energy supply for flexible electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicheng Yuan
- Reactor Engineering Sub-Institute, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Xueke Zhao
- School of Physics and Microelectronics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Canhui Wang
- Reactor Engineering Sub-Institute, Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu 610213, China
| | - Shuang Hang
- Inter-University Institute for High Energies, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mengyao Li
- Inter-University Institute for High Energies, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yu Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
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4
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Zhang H, Zhang T, Zhang X. Perspective and Prospects for Ordered Functional Materials. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300193. [PMID: 36890653 PMCID: PMC10161115 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Many functional materials are approaching their performance limits due to inherent trade-offs between essential physical properties. Such trade-offs can be overcome by engineering a material that has an ordered arrangement of structural units, including constituent components/phases, grains, and domains. By rationally manipulating the ordering with abundant structural units at multiple length scales, the structural ordering opens up unprecedented opportunities to create transformative functional materials, as amplified properties or disruptive functionalities can be realized. In this perspective article, a brief overview of recent advances in the emerging ordered functional materials across catalytic, thermoelectric, and magnetic materials regarding the fabrication, structure, and property is presented. Then the possibility of applying this structural ordering strategy to highly efficient neuromorphic computing devices and durable battery materials is discussed. Finally, remaining scientific challenges are highlighted, and the prospects for ordered functional materials are made. This perspective aims to draw the attention of the scientific community to the emerging ordered functional materials and trigger intense studies on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai‐Tian Zhang
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijing100191China
| | - Tao Zhang
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijing100191China
| | - Xiangyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and TechnologyYanshan UniversityQinhuangdao066004China
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5
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Gainza J, Serrano-Sánchez F, Dura OJ, Nemes NM, Martínez JL, Fernández-Díaz MT, Alonso JA. Reduced Thermal Conductivity in Nanostructured AgSbTe 2 Thermoelectric Material, Obtained by Arc-Melting. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:3910. [PMID: 36364685 PMCID: PMC9653711 DOI: 10.3390/nano12213910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
AgSbTe2 intermetallic compound is a promising thermoelectric material. It has also been described as necessary to obtain LAST and TAGS alloys, some of the best performing thermoelectrics of the last decades. Due to the random location of Ag and Sb atoms in the crystal structure, the electronic structure is highly influenced by the atomic ordering of these atoms and makes the accurate determination of the Ag/Sb occupancy of paramount importance. We report on the synthesis of polycrystalline AgSbTe2 by arc-melting, yielding nanostructured dense pellets. SEM images show a conspicuous layered nanostructuration, with a layer thickness of 25-30 nm. Neutron powder diffraction data show that AgSbTe2 crystalizes in the cubic Pm-3m space group, with a slight deficiency of Te, probably due to volatilization during the arc-melting process. The transport properties show some anomalies at ~600 K, which can be related to the onset temperature for atomic ordering. The average thermoelectric figure of merit remains around ~0.6 from ~550 up to ~680 K.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Gainza
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico Serrano-Sánchez
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar J. Dura
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Norbert M. Nemes
- Departamento de Física de Materiales, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Martínez
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - José Antonio Alonso
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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6
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Park S, Ryu B, Park S. Off-Centered Pb Interstitials in PbTe. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15041272. [PMID: 35207814 PMCID: PMC8879023 DOI: 10.3390/ma15041272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous calculations have demonstrated that Te vacancies are energetically the major defects in PbTe. However, the Pb interstitials are also important because experiments have shown that the volume of Pb-rich PbTe increases at a higher Pb content. In this study, density functional theory calculations were used to investigate the defect properties of low-symmetry Pb interstitials in PbTe. By breaking the higher symmetry imposed on the on-centered interstitial defects, the lowest ground state of Pb interstitial defects is off-centered along the [1¯1¯1¯] direction. Because of the four multi-stable structures with low defect-formation energies, the defect density of Pb interstitials is expected to be approximately six times higher than previous predictions for PbTe synthesized at 900 K. In contrast to the on-centered Pb interstitials, the off-centered Pb interstitials in PbTe can exhibit long-range lattice relaxation in the [111] direction beyond a distance of 1 nm, indicating the potential formation of weak local dipoles. This result provides an alternative explanation for the emphanitic anharmonicity of PbTe in the high-temperature regime.
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7
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Ceppatelli M, Scelta D, Serrano‐Ruiz M, Dziubek K, Morana M, Svitlyk V, Garbarino G, Poręba T, Mezouar M, Peruzzini M, Bini R. Single‐Bonded Cubic AsN from High‐Pressure and High‐Temperature Chemical Reactivity of Arsenic and Nitrogen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202114191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Ceppatelli
- LENS European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy Via N. Carrara 1 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
- ICCOM-CNR Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds National Research Council of (Italy) Via Madonna del Piano 10 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Demetrio Scelta
- LENS European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy Via N. Carrara 1 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
- ICCOM-CNR Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds National Research Council of (Italy) Via Madonna del Piano 10 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Manuel Serrano‐Ruiz
- ICCOM-CNR Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds National Research Council of (Italy) Via Madonna del Piano 10 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Kamil Dziubek
- LENS European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy Via N. Carrara 1 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
- ICCOM-CNR Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds National Research Council of (Italy) Via Madonna del Piano 10 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Marta Morana
- Department of Chemistry and INSTM University of Pavia Via Taramelli 16 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Volodymyr Svitlyk
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS40220 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - Gaston Garbarino
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS40220 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - Tomasz Poręba
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS40220 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - Mohamed Mezouar
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS40220 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - Maurizio Peruzzini
- ICCOM-CNR Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds National Research Council of (Italy) Via Madonna del Piano 10 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
| | - Roberto Bini
- LENS European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy Via N. Carrara 1 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
- ICCOM-CNR Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds National Research Council of (Italy) Via Madonna del Piano 10 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff” dell'Università degli Studi di Firenze Via della Lastruccia 3 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino Firenze Italy
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8
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Ceppatelli M, Scelta D, Serrano‐Ruiz M, Dziubek K, Morana M, Svitlyk V, Garbarino G, Poręba T, Mezouar M, Peruzzini M, Bini R. Single-Bonded Cubic AsN from High-Pressure and High-Temperature Chemical Reactivity of Arsenic and Nitrogen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202114191. [PMID: 34797602 PMCID: PMC9304227 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202114191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Chemical reactivity between As and N2 , leading to the synthesis of crystalline arsenic nitride, is here reported under high pressure and high temperature conditions generated by laser heating in a diamond anvil cell. Single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction at different pressures between 30 and 40 GPa provides evidence for the synthesis of a covalent compound of AsN stoichiometry, crystallizing in a cubic P21 3 space group, in which each of the two elements is single-bonded to three atoms of the other and hosts an electron lone pair, in a tetrahedral anisotropic coordination. The identification of characteristic structural motifs highlights the key role played by the directional repulsive interactions between non-bonding electron lone pairs in the formation of the AsN structure. Additional data indicate the existence of AsN at room temperature from 9.8 up to 50 GPa. Implications concern fundamental aspects of pnictogens chemistry and the synthesis of innovative advanced materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Ceppatelli
- LENSEuropean Laboratory for Non-linear SpectroscopyVia N. Carrara 1I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
- ICCOM-CNRInstitute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic CompoundsNational Research Council of (Italy)Via Madonna del Piano 10I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Demetrio Scelta
- LENSEuropean Laboratory for Non-linear SpectroscopyVia N. Carrara 1I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
- ICCOM-CNRInstitute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic CompoundsNational Research Council of (Italy)Via Madonna del Piano 10I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Manuel Serrano‐Ruiz
- ICCOM-CNRInstitute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic CompoundsNational Research Council of (Italy)Via Madonna del Piano 10I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Kamil Dziubek
- LENSEuropean Laboratory for Non-linear SpectroscopyVia N. Carrara 1I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
- ICCOM-CNRInstitute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic CompoundsNational Research Council of (Italy)Via Madonna del Piano 10I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Marta Morana
- Department of Chemistry and INSTMUniversity of PaviaVia Taramelli 1627100PaviaItaly
| | - Volodymyr Svitlyk
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS4022038043Grenoble Cedex 9France
| | - Gaston Garbarino
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS4022038043Grenoble Cedex 9France
| | - Tomasz Poręba
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS4022038043Grenoble Cedex 9France
| | - Mohamed Mezouar
- ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS4022038043Grenoble Cedex 9France
| | - Maurizio Peruzzini
- ICCOM-CNRInstitute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic CompoundsNational Research Council of (Italy)Via Madonna del Piano 10I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
| | - Roberto Bini
- LENSEuropean Laboratory for Non-linear SpectroscopyVia N. Carrara 1I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
- ICCOM-CNRInstitute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic CompoundsNational Research Council of (Italy)Via Madonna del Piano 10I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”dell'Università degli Studi di FirenzeVia della Lastruccia 3I-50019 Sesto FiorentinoFirenzeItaly
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9
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Liu Y, Calcabrini M, Yu Y, Lee S, Chang C, David J, Ghosh T, Spadaro MC, Xie C, Cojocaru-Mirédin O, Arbiol J, Ibáñez M. Defect Engineering in Solution-Processed Polycrystalline SnSe Leads to High Thermoelectric Performance. ACS NANO 2022; 16:78-88. [PMID: 34549956 PMCID: PMC8793148 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c06720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
SnSe has emerged as one of the most promising materials for thermoelectric energy conversion due to its extraordinary performance in its single-crystal form and its low-cost constituent elements. However, to achieve an economic impact, the polycrystalline counterpart needs to replicate the performance of the single crystal. Herein, we optimize the thermoelectric performance of polycrystalline SnSe produced by consolidating solution-processed and surface-engineered SnSe particles. In particular, the SnSe particles are coated with CdSe molecular complexes that crystallize during the sintering process, forming CdSe nanoparticles. The presence of CdSe nanoparticles inhibits SnSe grain growth during the consolidation step due to Zener pinning, yielding a material with a high density of grain boundaries. Moreover, the resulting SnSe-CdSe nanocomposites present a large number of defects at different length scales, which significantly reduce the thermal conductivity. The produced SnSe-CdSe nanocomposites exhibit thermoelectric figures of merit up to 2.2 at 786 K, which is among the highest reported for solution-processed SnSe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- IST
Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | | | - Yuan Yu
- RWTH
Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Seungho Lee
- IST
Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Cheng Chang
- IST
Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Jérémy David
- Catalan
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Tanmoy Ghosh
- IST
Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Maria Chiara Spadaro
- Catalan
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Chenyang Xie
- Department
of Physics, INTE & Barcelona Multiscale Res. Center, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Eduard Maristany 16, 08930 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Oana Cojocaru-Mirédin
- RWTH
Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jordi Arbiol
- Catalan
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Maria Ibáñez
- IST
Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
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10
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Liu Y, Calcabrini M, Yu Y, Genç A, Chang C, Costanzo T, Kleinhanns T, Lee S, Llorca J, Cojocaru-Mirédin O, Ibáñez M. The Importance of Surface Adsorbates in Solution-Processed Thermoelectric Materials: The Case of SnSe. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2106858. [PMID: 34626034 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202106858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Solution synthesis of particles emerges as an alternative to prepare thermoelectric materials with less demanding processing conditions than conventional solid-state synthetic methods. However, solution synthesis generally involves the presence of additional molecules or ions belonging to the precursors or added to enable solubility and/or regulate nucleation and growth. These molecules or ions can end up in the particles as surface adsorbates and interfere in the material properties. This work demonstrates that ionic adsorbates, in particular Na+ ions, are electrostatically adsorbed in SnSe particles synthesized in water and play a crucial role not only in directing the material nano/microstructure but also in determining the transport properties of the consolidated material. In dense pellets prepared by sintering SnSe particles, Na remains within the crystal lattice as dopant, in dislocations, precipitates, and forming grain boundary complexions. These results highlight the importance of considering all the possible unintentional impurities to establish proper structure-property relationships and control material properties in solution-processed thermoelectric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- IST Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | | | - Yuan Yu
- RWTH Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Aziz Genç
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir, 35430, Turkey
| | - Cheng Chang
- IST Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | | | | | - Seungho Lee
- IST Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | - Jordi Llorca
- Institute of Energy Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering and Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, 08019, Spain
| | - Oana Cojocaru-Mirédin
- RWTH Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Maria Ibáñez
- IST Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
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11
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Li M, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Han X, Xiao K, Nabahat M, Arbiol J, Llorca J, Ibañez M, Cabot A. PbS-Pb-Cu xS Composites for Thermoelectric Application. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:51373-51382. [PMID: 34665616 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c15609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Composite materials offer numerous advantages in a wide range of applications, including thermoelectrics. Here, semiconductor-metal composites are produced by just blending nanoparticles of a sulfide semiconductor obtained in aqueous solution and at room temperature with a metallic Cu powder. The obtained blend is annealed in a reducing atmosphere and afterward consolidated into dense polycrystalline pellets through spark plasma sintering (SPS). We observe that, during the annealing process, the presence of metallic copper activates a partial reduction of the PbS, resulting in the formation of PbS-Pb-CuxS composites. The presence of metallic lead during the SPS process habilitates the liquid-phase sintering of the composite. Besides, by comparing the transport properties of PbS, the PbS-Pb-CuxS composites, and PbS-CuxS composites obtained by blending PbS and CuxS nanoparticles, we demonstrate that the presence of metallic lead decisively contributes to a strong increase of the charge carrier concentration through spillover of charge carriers enabled by the low work function of lead. The increase in charge carrier concentration translates into much higher electrical conductivities and moderately lower Seebeck coefficients. These properties translate into power factors up to 2.1 mW m-1 K-2 at ambient temperature, well above those of PbS and PbS + CuxS. Additionally, the presence of multiple phases in the final composite results in a notable decrease in the lattice thermal conductivity. Overall, the introduction of metallic copper in the initial blend results in a significant improvement of the thermoelectric performance of PbS, reaching a dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT = 1.1 at 750 K, which represents about a 400% increase over bare PbS. Besides, an average ZTave = 0.72 in the temperature range 320-773 K is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Li
- Catalonia Energy Research Institute─IREC, Sant Adrià de Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, 230009 Hefei, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Catalonia Energy Research Institute─IREC, Sant Adrià de Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xu Han
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ke Xiao
- Catalonia Energy Research Institute─IREC, Sant Adrià de Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mehran Nabahat
- Department of Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Arbiol
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Llorca
- Institute of Energy Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering and Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, EEBE, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Ibañez
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Andreu Cabot
- Catalonia Energy Research Institute─IREC, Sant Adrià de Besòs, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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