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Lead‐Free Thermoelectrics: High Figure of Merit in p‐type AgSn m SbTe m+2
Author(s) -
Han MiKyung,
Androulakis John,
Kim SungJin,
Kanatzidis Mercouri G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201100613
Subject(s) - thermoelectric effect , figure of merit , materials science , thermoelectric materials , seebeck coefficient , thermal conductivity , thermoelectric generator , electrical resistivity and conductivity , optoelectronics , engineering physics , thermodynamics , composite material , electrical engineering , physics , engineering
Abstract Thermoelectric materials based on Pb‐free compositions are of considerable current interest in environmentally friendly power‐generation applications derived from waste‐heat sources. Here, a new study of the thermoelectric properties of the tin‐based compositions with the general formula AgSn m SbTe m+2 ( m = 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 14, 18) is presented, where the m value is used as the tuning parameter of the thermoelectric properties. The electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity are measured from 300 K to 723 K and the resulting thermoelectric figure of merit is determined as a function of the SnTe/AgSbTe 2 ratio. A thermoelectric figure of merit ZT ≈1 is obtained at 710 K for m = 4, indicating that the system AgSn m SbTe m+2 holds great promise as an alternative p‐type, lead‐free, thermoelectric material.