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 00:00:00 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, Vol. 182, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2009.01.017; PII: S0022-4596(09)00027-9; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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