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Improved thermoelectric properties of zone-melted p-type bismuth-telluride-based alloys for power generation

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A Correction to this article was published on 01 March 2022

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Zone-melted bismuth-telluride-based alloys (ZM-BT) are extensively applied to manufacture commercial thermoelectric power generators (TEG). Optimizing the average figure of merit (zT) during 300–500 K of ZM-BT is favorable for improving the conversion efficiency of common TEGs, and manipulating point defects is the primary approach to reduce their relatively high lattice thermal conductivity (κl) and enhance thermoelectric properties further. Se/Te alloying has been confirmed effective for traditional n-type Bi2Te3 compound, while Se alloying in p-type counterparts is rarely reported. Herein, to further reduce κl, we introduce Se alloying into p-type Bi0.3Sb1.7Te3 to enhance the scattering of high-frequency phonons. Combined with the carrier concentration adjustment via excess Te doping, a high average zT ~ 0.75 between 300 and 500 K was obtained, 22% higher than that of the pristine ingot.

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摘要

区熔碲化铋合金广泛应用于商业化热电发电器的生产。优化区熔碲化铋合金300 - 500 K的热电性能对提高常规热电发电器的转化效率是有利的。主要的手段为调控点缺陷来降低相对较高的晶格热导率, 进一步提高其热电性能。Se/Te合金化在传统的n型碲化铋中是有效的, 而在p型中少有报道。本工作中, 我们在p型Bi0.3Sb1.7Te3中引入Se合金化来增强对高频声子的散射。结合后续过量Te掺杂优化载流子浓度, 获得了300 - 500 K区间较高的平均zT ~ 0.75, 较基体提高了22%。

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Research Project of FerroTec Group (No. 000RD20001) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61534001 and 11574267).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Ren-Shuang Zhai & Tie-Jun Zhu

  2. Thermoelectricity Technology Center, Hangzhou Dahe Thermo-Magnetics Co. Ltd, Hangzhou, 310053, China

    Ren-Shuang Zhai

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  1. Ren-Shuang Zhai
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Correspondence to Ren-Shuang Zhai.

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Zhai, RS., Zhu, TJ. Improved thermoelectric properties of zone-melted p-type bismuth-telluride-based alloys for power generation. Rare Met. 41, 1490–1495 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-021-01901-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-021-01901-2

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