Mechanical and Thermoelectric Properties of PbSe1-xTex Solid Solutions

The microhardness, Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of PbSe1-xTex (x = 0 – 0.045) solid solutions were investigated at room temperature. In the range of small concentrations of PbTe (in the vicinity of x = 0.01 and x = 0.02) an anomalous decrease in microhardness, increase in Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity were registered. The concentration anomalies were interpreted as the transition from diluted to concentrated solid solutions when the interaction between impurity atoms starts to make a significant contribution to the change of the properties of materials.