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Effects of cation doping on thermoelectric properties of Bi2S3 materials

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Abstract

Bi2S3 polycrystals doped with Al, Mn, Ag, and In were fabricated by vacuum melting and plasma activated sintering process, and the phase, microstructure, electrical, and thermal properties were investigated. The electrical conductivity is enhanced via Al and Ag doping. Compared with the Ag dopant, a higher electrical conductivity is achieved in the Al-doped sample, resulting in a peak power factor value of 1.96 μW/cmK2 at 423 K. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity of Bi1.99Al0.01S3 sample is very low in the Bi2S3 system due to the high-density defects, and is only 0.39 Wm−1 K−1 at 740 K. By combining a power factor and a low thermal conductivity, a peak ZT value of 0.29 at 740 K is achieved in the Bi1.99Al0.01S3 sample, being about two times larger than that of pristine Bi2S3.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52172069, 51572111), the Natural Science Foundation (BK20210779), Universities Natural Science Research Project (21KJB430019), Qing Lan Project ([2016]15) and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Program [(2021)] of Jiangsu Province.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China, 52172069, Guanjun Qiao, 51572111, Guanjun Qiao, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,BK20210779, Jian Yang, Natural Science Research of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China, 21KJB430019, Jian Yang, Qinglan Project of Jiangsu Province of China, [2016]15, Guanjun Qiao, the Innovation/Entrepreneurship Program of Jiangsu Province, [2021].

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  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China

    Haigang Hou, Jian Yang, Guiwu Liu, Xiangzhao Zhang & Guanjun Qiao

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  1. Haigang Hou
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HH performed the experiment; HH, JY, and XZ performed the data analyses and wrote the manuscript; GL and GQ performed the analysis with constructive discussions.

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Correspondence to Jian Yang.

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Hou, H., Yang, J., Liu, G. et al. Effects of cation doping on thermoelectric properties of Bi2S3 materials. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 22291–22299 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-09007-w

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