In situ nanostructure generation and evolution within a bulk thermoelectric material to reduce lattice thermal conductivity

Steven N. Girard, Jiaqing He, Changpeng Li, Steven Moses, Guoyu Wang, Ctirad Uher, Vinayak P. Dravid, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

108 Scopus citations

Abstract

We show experimentally the direct reduction in lattice thermal conductivity as a result of in situ nanostructure generation within a thermoelectric material. Solid solution alloys of the high-performance thermoelectric PbTe-PbS 8% can be synthesized through rapid cooling and subsequent high-temperature activation that induces a spontaneous nucleation and growth of PbS nanocrystals. The emergence of coherent PbS nanostructures reduces the lattice thermal conductivity from ∼1 to ∼0.4 W/mK between 400 and 500 K.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2825-2831
Number of pages7
JournalNano letters
Volume10
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 11 2010

Keywords

  • Thermoelectric materials
  • nucleation and growth
  • semiconductors
  • thermal conductivity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Bioengineering
  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science

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