Preparation and Thermoelectric Properties of AgPb18SbTe20 Materials via Hydrothermal Synthesis Method

Abstract

AgPb18SbTe20 nano-powders have been synthesized by a hydrothermal synthesis method at 180 °C for 20 h, using AgNO3, Pb(NO3)2, Sb(NO3)3, Na2TeO3 as starting materials and KBH4 as a reductant. AgPb18SbTe20 bulk thermoelectric materials were obtained by pressureless sintering at 450 °C or 520 °C under argon atmosphere, after uniaxial pressing the as-synthesized powders into pellets. The phase composition and thermal effects of as-prepared powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and DSC-TG analyses, respectively. Electrical properties of the as-prepared bulk materials were measured from room temperature to about 700 K, and the maximum power factor of 85 μW/mK2 was achieved at 600 K for the sample sintered at 723 K for 3 h.