AIP Advances (Apr 2015)

Energy-filtering-induced high power factor in PbS-nanoparticles-embedded TiS2

  • Yulong Wang,
  • Junfu Wen,
  • Zhenghua Fan,
  • Ningzhong Bao,
  • Rong Huang,
  • Rong Tu,
  • Yifeng Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4918687
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5, no. 4
pp. 047126 – 047126-6

Abstract

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We report on a greatly enhanced power factor for 1%PbS-nanoparticle-embedded TiS2 bulk ceramic, about 1 mW/(mK2) at 300 K and 1.23 mW/(mK2) in a wide temperature range of 573 ∼ 673 K, of which the latter is among the highest so far for TiS2-based thermoelectric materials. Compared to TiS2, the power factor is increased by ∼110% at 300 K and (50 ∼ 35)% at 573 ∼ 673 K. This enhancement is derived from a large increase in Seebeck coefficient which overwhelmed the modest degradation of electrical conductivity, which should be attributed to energy filtering induced by the band gap offset between TiS2 and PbS.