CuO/CuxS composites fabrication and their thermoelectric properties

Abstract

AbstractHerein, copper oxide/copper sulfide (CuO/CuxS) composites have been prepared by treating CuO with thiourea by an aqueous hydrothermal route and their thermoelectric properties are studied. The electrical conductivity is improved with the increase in thiourea content, as a result, thermoelectric power factor increased from 10–4 to 101 µW m−1 K−2, and thermal conductivity of the CuO is also found to decrease with thiourea treatment. A detailed analysis indicated that these changes are due to the formation of copper sulfide (CuxS) in the CuO compound; a small fraction of electrically good conducting CuxS in the bulk CuO has produced composites with better electrical conductivity. These low-cost and non-toxic materials can be useful in thermoelectric energy conversion applications.