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Strong phonon scattering by layer structured PbSnS(2) in PbTe based thermoelectric materials
Jiaqing He1, Steven N Girard, Jin-Cheng Zheng
1Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA. hejiaqing@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|July 19, 2012
Summary
Adding lead tin sulfide (PbSnS2) to lead telluride (PbTe) significantly lowers lattice thermal conductivity by nearly 60%. This reduction is attributed to structural changes and layered interfaces, confirmed by microscopy and thermal transport calculations.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Solid-State Chemistry
Background:
- Lead telluride (PbTe) is a promising thermoelectric material.
- Efficient thermoelectric materials require low lattice thermal conductivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of incorporating lead tin sulfide (PbSnS2) into lead telluride (PbTe).
- To understand the mechanisms behind thermal conductivity reduction in PbTe-based materials.
Main Methods:
- Experimental synthesis and characterization of PbTe with PbSnS2.
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural analysis.
- Thermal transport measurements.
- Modified Debye-Callaway model for theoretical calculations.
Main Results:
- Incorporation of PbSnS2 reduced lattice thermal conductivity of PbTe to 0.8 W/mK at room temperature.
- Achieved a ~60% reduction in lattice thermal conductivity compared to bulk PbTe.
- TEM revealed high densities of displacement layers, misfit dislocations, and phase boundaries.
- Theoretical calculations supported the experimental findings, highlighting the role of layered PbSnS2.
Conclusions:
- Layered PbSnS2 effectively reduces lattice thermal conductivity in PbTe.
- Structural defects and interfaces introduced by PbSnS2 are key to thermal transport suppression.
- This approach offers a viable strategy for enhancing thermoelectric performance.
