The influence of co-doping Ag and Sb on microstructure and thermoelectric properties of PbTe prepared by combining hydrothermal synthesis and melting

Journal Article · Wed Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2009.01.017· OSTI ID:21370350

Li, H ^[1]; Wang, H F; Wang, L ^[1]; Yin, J L ^[2]; Zhou, C W ^[1]

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1. Tongji University, Functional Materials Research Laboratory, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092 (China)
2. Tongji University, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Development and Application for Metal-Functional Materials, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092 (China)

Ag and Sb co-doped PbTe (AgPb{sub 18}SbTe{sub 20}) and pure PbTe nanopowders were hydrothermally synthesized. The synthesized nanopowders were heated at 1173-1223 K in vacuum for 5 h followed by a slow cooling. The nanopowders and the bulk samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy, respectively. Electrical transport properties of the bulk samples were measured from room temperature to {approx}773 K. The results showed that co-doping Ag and Sb into PbTe has significant effects on both the nanopowders and bulk samples. Bulk AgPb{sub 18}SbTe{sub 20} sample showed n-type conduction in the whole temperature range measured, while bulk PbTe sample exhibited a transition from p- to n-type conduction at {approx}500 K. The thermoelectric properties of PbTe were markedly improved after co-doping of Ag and Sb. The AgPb{sub 18}SbTe{sub 20} sample has a dimensionless figure of merit of {approx}0.94 at 723 K. - Graphical abstract: SEM image of the fracture surface of an AgPb{sub 18}SbTe{sub 20} material prepared by combining hydrothermal synthesis and melting. The material has a ZT value of about 0.94 at 723 K.

• OSTI ID: 21370350
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Solid State Chemistry Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 182; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD TELLURIDES
MELTING
MICROSCOPY
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SILVER COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS