Applications of Lead Chalcogenides

Abstract

The first investigations of the thermoelectric properties of lead chalcogenides were carried out by Ioffe, Maslakovets et al. [207, 488–490]. The outcome of these investigations was the use of lead sulfide in the first thermoelectric generators and of lead telluride in various cooling units [490, 491]. Later it was found that alloys based on antimony and bismuth tellurides were more suitable materials for cooling purposes. Lead chalcogenides, particularly lead telluride and its alloys, were found to be the most efficient materials for thermoelectric generators working between room temperature and 600–650°C.