Thermoelectric Performance of Se/Cd Codoped SnTe via Microwave Solvothermal Method

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Tin telluride (SnTe) shows promise for waste heat recovery due to its thermoelectric properties.
• Optimizing SnTe's thermoelectric performance is critical for practical applications.
• Doping is a key strategy to enhance thermoelectric materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate Se/Cd codoped SnTe octahedral particles with improved thermoelectric performance.
• To investigate the effect of Se and Cd codoping on SnTe's thermal conductivity and power factor.
• To evaluate the potential of these materials for waste heat recovery.

Main Methods:

• Microwave-stimulated solvothermal synthesis of SnTe octahedral particles.
• Spark plasma sintering to form dense SnTe bulks.
• Characterization of thermoelectric properties, including thermal conductivity and power factor.

Main Results:

• Achieved low thermal conductivity of 1.8 W m^-1 K^-1 at 773 K in Sn_0.98Cd_0.02Te_0.9Se_0.1.
• Observed optimized band structure and boosted power factors due to Se and Cd doping.
• Attained a peak figure of merit (ZT) of approximately 0.78 at 773 K.

Conclusions:

• Se/Cd codoping significantly enhances the thermoelectric performance of SnTe.
• The fabricated SnTe-based materials show great potential for efficient waste heat recovery.
• The study demonstrates a viable method for optimizing thermoelectric materials through codoping and controlled synthesis.