Thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline Bi2Se3−x by powder compaction sintering

Abstract

[Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text] compound (where Pn = Bi and Sb, Ch = Te, Se, and S), which has attracted increasing attention as a candidate for use in thermoelectric applications. Previous studies demonstrated the advantage of [Formula: see text] thermoelectric materials, despite an inferior thermoelectric performance. Herein, a series of [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text], 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25) thermoelectric materials were prepared by powder compaction sintering. The effects of phase structures and microstructure of the [Formula: see text] bulk material were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The thermoelectric properties, including Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity, were measured systematically. The results show that carrier concentration increased with decreasing Se content, which in turn affected the electrical transport properties. Low Se contents gave larger power factor (PF) values than the pristine [Formula: see text] sample, the maximum PF value being [Formula: see text] at 320 K for [Formula: see text]. The variation in PF was attributed to the variations in electrical conductivity [Formula: see text] and Seebeck coefficient [Formula: see text] upon optimizing Se content. The [Formula: see text] samples showed an enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) with increasing measurement temperature, due to the increased [Formula: see text] value, [Formula: see text], and decreased [Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text] sample exhibited the highest ZT (0.28) at 575 K, while [Formula: see text] exhibited the lowest ZT (0.14) at 325 K. This indicated that tuning Se content was an effective way to enhance carrier concentration.