Synergistically optimized electrical and thermal transport properties of SnTe via alloying high-solubility MnTe

Wu, Haijun1,2,5; Chang, Cheng1; Feng, Dan2; Xiao, Yu1; Zhang, Xiao1; Pei, Yanling1; Zheng, Lei1; Wu, Di2; Gong, Shengkai1; Chen, Yue3; He, Jiaqing2; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.4; Zhao, Li-Dong1

2015

10.1039/c5ee02423d

Energy & Environmental Science   影响因子和分区

1754-5692

1754-5706

Lead chalcogenides are the most efficient thermoelectric materials. In comparison, SnTe, a lead-free analogue of PbTe, exhibits inferior thermoelectric performance due to low Seebeck coefficient and high thermal conductivity. In this report, we show that we can synergistically optimize the electrical and thermal transport properties of SnTe via alloying Mn. We report that the introduction of Mn (0-50%) induces multiple effects on the band structure and microstructure of SnTe: for the former, it can tune the Fermi level and promote the convergence of the two valence bands, concurrently enhancing the Seebeck coefficient; for the latter, it can profoundly modify the microstructure into an all-scale hierarchical architecture (including nanoscale precipitates/MnTe laminates, stacking faults, layered structure, atomic-scale point defects, etc.) to scatter phonons with a broad range of mean free paths, strongly reducing the lattice thermal conductivity. Meanwhile, most significantly, the Mn alloying enlarges the energy gap of the conduction band (C band) and the light valence band (L band), thereby suppressing the bipolar thermal conductivity by increasing the band gap. The integration of these effects yields a high ZT of 1.3 at 900 K for 17% Mn alloyed SnTe.

SCI ; EI

英语

通讯

Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China[2013M540037]

Chemistry ; Energy & Fuels ; Engineering ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary ; Energy & Fuels ; Engineering, Chemical ; Environmental Sciences

WOS:000364324500024

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY

20154501518351

Alloying ; Energy gap ; Inorganic compounds ; IV-VI semiconductors ; Lead compounds ; Microstructure ; Point defects ; Seebeck coefficient ; Stacking faults ; Thermal conductivity ; Thermoelectricity ; Tin alloys ; Tin compounds ; Valence bands

Metallurgy:531.1 ; Manganese and Alloys:543.2 ; Tin and Alloys:546.2 ; Thermodynamics:641.1 ; Electricity: Basic Concepts and Phenomena:701.1 ; Inorganic Compounds:804.2 ; Crystal Lattice:933.1.1 ; Materials Science:951

Web of Science

1.Beihang Univ, Sch Mat Sci & Engn, Beijing 100191, Peoples R China
2.South Univ Sci & Technol China, Dept Phys, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
3.Univ Hong Kong, Dept Mech Engn, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Peoples R China
4.Northwestern Univ, Dept Chem, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
5.Natl Univ Singapore, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Singapore 117574, Singapore

Wu, Haijun,Chang, Cheng,Feng, Dan,et al. Synergistically optimized electrical and thermal transport properties of SnTe via alloying high-solubility MnTe[J]. Energy & Environmental Science,2015,8(11):3298-3312.

Wu, Haijun.,Chang, Cheng.,Feng, Dan.,Xiao, Yu.,Zhang, Xiao.,...&Zhao, Li-Dong.(2015).Synergistically optimized electrical and thermal transport properties of SnTe via alloying high-solubility MnTe.Energy & Environmental Science,8(11),3298-3312.

Wu, Haijun,et al."Synergistically optimized electrical and thermal transport properties of SnTe via alloying high-solubility MnTe".Energy & Environmental Science 8.11(2015):3298-3312.