Synthesis of PbTe thermoelectric materials by alkaline reducing chemical routes

Abstract Binary PbTe thermoelectric compounds have been successfully synthesized by alkaline reducing solvothermal, hydrothermal and low-temperature aqueous chemical routes using Pb(CH 3 COO) 2 ·3H 2 O and pure tellurium as precursors, and NaBH 4 as the reductant. Compared to PbTe powders synthesized by solvothermal and hydrothermal routes, smaller PbTe nanopowders of about 20 nm have been obtained by low-temperature aqueous chemical route. Possible formation mechanisms of PbTe were discussed.