title: Thermoelectric properties of PbSe₀.₅Te₀.₅: x (PbI₂) with endotaxial nanostructures: a promising n-type thermoelectric material.
abstract: In the present investigation, we report on the thermoelectric properties of PbSe₀.₅Te₀.₅: x (PbI₂) from room temperature to 625 K. High-resolution transmission electron micrographs of the samples reveal endotaxial nanostructures embedded in a PbSe₀.₅Te₀.₅ matrix. The combined effect of mass fluctuation and nanostructures reduces the thermal conductivity to a great extent compared to PbTe and PbSe, without affecting the carrier mobility. As a result, a thermoelectric figure of merit with a value of 1.5 is achieved at 625 K. This value is significantly higher than that of the available state-of-the-art n-type materials.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Rawat
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Banerji
mesh_terms: D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007854:Lead / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012666:Semiconductors
chemical_list: D018036:Selenium Compounds; C088065:lead selenide; D007854:Lead