Texturing degree boosts thermoelectric performance of silver-doped polycrystalline SnSe
Source abstract
Abstract
Tin selenite (SnSe) has attracted significant attention due to its record thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT=2.6 at 923 K) of its single crystal. However, the polycrystalline SnSe processes considerably less ZTs (⩽1.1). In this study, we investigate the thermoelectric properties of Ag-doped polycrystalline SnSe, which was synthesized via zone melting and hot pressing. By comparing our results and previous reports of Ag-doped single crystals and polycrystals, we determine that the high texturing degree is essential for achieving good thermoelectric performance in polycrystalline SnSe. The zone-melted Sn0.99Ag0.02Se shows better thermoelectric performance than the Ag-doped SnSe single crystal in the entire temperature range, exhibiting a peak ZT of 1.3 at 793 K. An alloying process improves the performance of materials useful for recovering energy from waste heat, scientists in China have shown. The ability to convert waste heat from manufacturing industries into electricity offers a way to significantly enhance energy efficiency. The materials that can achieve this – thermoelectrics – are assessed by a parameter referred to as ZT: the higher the figure the better. Jingtao Xu, Jun Jiang, and co-workers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Liaoning University have enhanced the thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline tin selenide by adding silver using a method known as zone melting, increasing its ZT from 1.1 to 1.3. The researchers believe the improvement is a result of texturing of the material and suggest that this idea could be applied to other materials. SnSe has a layered-like crystal structure and shows high thermoelectric performance along the b-crystal axis. Due to low textured degree, polycrystalline SnSe process poor electrical properties and overall thermoelectric performance. Here, we show that by increasing the textured degree, enhanced thermoelectric performance with a peak ZT of 1.3 at 793 K is achieved in Ag-doped SnSe polycrystals.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Devices · Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films · Heusler alloys: electronic and magnetic properties
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (33)
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