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Soluble Lead and Bismuth Chalcogenidometallates: Versatile Solders for Thermoelectric Materials

Journal Article · · Chemistry of Materials
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Department of Chemistry and James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
  2. Department of Chemistry and James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
  3. Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
  4. Physical Sciences Department, Elgin Community College, Elgin, Illinois 60123, United States
  5. Department of Chemistry and James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States

Here we report the syntheses of largely unexplored lead and bismuth chalcogenidometallates in the solution phase. Using N2H4 as the solvent, new compounds such as K6Pb3Te6·7N2H4 were obtained. These soluble molecular compounds underwent cation exchange processes using resin chemistry, replacing Na+ or K+ by decomposable N2H5+ or tetraethylammonium cations. They also transformed into stoichiometric lead and bismuth chalcogenide nanomaterials with the addition of metal salts. Such a versatile chemistry led to a variety of composition-matched solders to join lead and bismuth chalcogenides and tune their charge transport properties at the grain boundaries. Solution-processed thin films composed of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 microparticles soldered by (N2H5)6Bi0.5Sb1.5Te6 exhibited thermoelectric power factors (~28 μW/cm K2) comparable to those in vacuum-deposited Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 films. The soldering effect can also be integrated with attractive fabrication techniques for thermoelectric modules, such as screen printing, suggesting the potential of these solders in the rational design of printable and moldable thermoelectrics.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1393530
Journal Information:
Chemistry of Materials, Journal Name: Chemistry of Materials Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 29; ISSN 0897-4756
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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