Structure and Thermoelectric Characterization of p-Type SnTe Nanobulk Material Synthesized by Charge Compensation Chemical Reaction
Ryosuke Fujiwara,
Yuta Ikeda,
Takuto Kawaguchi,
Yohei Takashima,
Takaaki Tsuruoka,
Kensuke Akamatsu
Affiliations
Ryosuke Fujiwara
Department of Nanobiochemistry, Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
Yuta Ikeda
Department of Nanobiochemistry, Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
Takuto Kawaguchi
Department of Nanobiochemistry, Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
Yohei Takashima
Department of Nanobiochemistry, Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
Takaaki Tsuruoka
Department of Nanobiochemistry, Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
Kensuke Akamatsu
Department of Nanobiochemistry, Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojimaminamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
SnTe is the most widely studied p-type thermoelectric (TE) alternative to PbTe. In this study, we prepared a nanostructured SnTe bulk material via spark plasma sintering from a precursor synthesized by a chemical precipitation process without using organic molecules. The sintered sample comprised tiny grains (100–300 nm) with high-density grain boundaries. Eventually, because the material would contain no impurities acting as scattering nodes of charge carriers, the material exhibited a relatively high electrical conductivity of 7.07 × 105 Sm−1 at 310 K. The material demonstrated low lattice thermal conductivity (0.87 Wm−1K−1 at 764 K), which can be owing to the increasing phonon scattering at grain boundaries. The maximum ZT was 0.31 at 764 K in the measured temperature range. This study provides a method for the design of phase-pure and surfactant-free SnTe thermoelectric materials that exhibit low lattice thermal conductivity and high carrier mobility using a chemical synthetic approach.
