Thermoelectric properties of antimony selenide hexagonal nanotubes

Antimony selenide (Sb₂Se₃) is a material widely used in photodetectors and relatively new as a possible material for thermoelectric applications. Taking advantage of the new properties after nanoscale fabrication, this material shows great potential for the development of efficient low temperature thermoelectric devices. Here we study the synthesis, the crystal properties and the thermal and thermoelectric transport response of Sb₂Se₃ hexagonal nanotubes (HNT) in the temperature range between 120 and 370 K. HNT have a moderate electrical conductivity ∼10² S m^-1 while maintaining a reasonable Seebeck coefficient ∼430 μV K^-1 at 370 K. The electrical conductivity in Sb₂Se₃ HNT is about 5 orders of magnitude larger and its thermal conductivity one half of what is found in bulk. Moreover, the calculated figure of merit (ZT) at room temperature is the largest value reported in antimony selenide 1D structures.