journal article·2026-04Open access

Exceptional Thermoelectric Performance of Naturally High‐Entropy Pavonite Ag 3 Pb 4 Bi 11 Se 22 with Unique Quasi‐Superlattice Structure and Sextuple Conduction Valleys

Zhengjie Liu, Pengcheng Luo, Chengyun Liao, Chenghao Xie, Minghao Ye, Weibin Xu, Zhiying Liu, Junxi Mei, Guoqing Ding, Qingjie Zhang, Xinfeng Tang, Gangjian Tan

Advanced Energy Materials· Volume 16· Issue 15

Abstract

ABSTRACT Developing high‐performance thermoelectric materials with intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity and tunable electronic properties is critical for advancing efficient energy conversion technologies toward global sustainability. Herein, we report a pavonite compound Ag 3 Pb 4 Bi 11 Se 22 integrating a unique quasi‐superlattice architecture and naturally occurring quasi‐high‐entropy alloy characteristics. These structural features synergistically induce intense phonon scattering yielding an ultra‐low lattice thermal conductivity of 0.32‐0.57 W m −1 K −1 over the temperature range of 300–773 K. First‐principles calculations reveal that Ag 3 Pb 4 Bi 11 Se 22 is a narrow‐bandgap semiconductor with a multi‐valley conduction band featuring up to six closely spaced energy valleys. By tailoring the carrier concentration through controlled Se deficiency, the Fermi level is optimized to activate multi‐valley cooperative transport, significantly enhancing the band degeneracy from 2 to 10 and the density of states effective mass from 0.6 m 0 to 1.8 m 0 . This optimization mitigates the degradation of the Seebeck coefficient at high carrier concentrations while simultaneously improving electrical conductivity. Ultimately, the Ag 3 Pb 4 Bi 11 Se 21.9 sample attains a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit ( ZT ) of 0.9 at 773 K. This work establishes Ag 3 Pb 4 Bi 11 Se 22 as a benchmark pavonite‐based thermoelectric material and offers a viable paradigm for optimizing complex chalcogenides via integrated structural engineering and band structure modulation.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Devices · Machine Learning in Materials Science · Topological Materials and Phenomena

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology For Materials Synthesis and Processing Wuhan University of Technology Wuhan China

Hubei Longzhong Laboratory Wuhan University of Technology Xiangyang Demonstration Zone Xiangyang China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

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