Abstract
In this study, we investigate the changes occurring in the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of PbTe0.9S0.1 alloy (PbTe-PbS) under varying thermal treatment conditions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were utilized to reveal the distribution of nano-precipitates in the annealed alloy. PbTe0.9S0.1 alloy with PbS phase precipitates displayed a significant reduction in the thermal conductivity and an enhancement in the Seebeck coefficient. The 47% reduction in lattice thermal conductivity at the measurement temperature of 300°C in the alloy annealed at 400°C was attributed to the phonon scattering occurring due to the presence of nano-precipitates. The annealed alloy displayed higher electrical conductivity at room temperature than that of the alloy without annealing. The maximum figure of merit, ZT, was found to be 0.76 at 300°C in the alloy annealed at 400°C.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 55-62 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Energy Harvesting and Systems |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2015 Walter de Gruyter GmbH. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- electrical property
- nano-precipitates
- thermal conductivity
- thermoelectric