Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-tnzcf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-14T04:39:07.282Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Exploring Complex Chalcogenides for Thermoelectric Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Ying C. Wang and
Francis J. DiSalvo
Ying C. Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Baker Lab, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Francis J. DiSalvo
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Baker Lab, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Get access

Abstract

Our research on ternary / quaternary chalcogenides for thermoelectric applications has lead to the identification of new interesting compounds and better understanding of the chemistry and physical properties of complex chalcogenides. The chemical, geometric, electronic diversity and flexibility has been well demonstrated in BaBiSe3 and Sr4Bi6Se13 type compounds. This presents both a challenge and more opportunity in controlling and optimizing the thermoelectric properties of these complex chalcogenides, compared with elemental and binary compounds. The importance of multivalley band structure in thermoelectric materials is emphasized. Only compounds with high crystal symmetry have the possibility of having a large number of degenerate valleys in the conduction bands or peaks in the valence bands, respectively. However, most of the complex chalcogenides crystallize in low crystal symmetry. An Edisonian method of exploratory synthesis and characterization may be the working approach to find good thermoelectric materials with ZT higher than 4.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

1. DiSalvo, I. F. J., Science 285, 703 (1999).Google Scholar
2 Mahan, G., Sales, B., Sharp, J., Phys. Today 50, 42 (1997).Google Scholar
3. Sales, B., Mater. Res. Soc. Bull. 23, 15 (1998).Google Scholar
4. Tritt, T. M., Science 272, 1276 (1996).Google Scholar
5. CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics, ed. Rowe, D. M. (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1995).Google Scholar
6. Wood, C., Rep. Prog. Phys. 51, 459 (1988).Google Scholar
7. Mahan, G. D., Solid State Phys. 51, 82 (1998).Google Scholar
8. Goldsmid, H. J., Electronic Refrigeration (Pion, London, 1986).Google Scholar
9. Chung, D. -Y., Iordanidis, L., Rangan, K. K., Brazis, P. W., Kannewurf, C. R., and Kanatzidis, M. G., Chem. Mater. 11, 1352 (1999).Google Scholar
10. Chung, D. -Y., Choi, K. -S., Iordanidis, L., Schindler, J. L., Brazis, P. W., Kannewurf, C. R., Chen, B., Hu, S., Uher, C., Kanatzidis, M. G., Chem. Mater. 9, 3060 (1997).Google Scholar
11. Duck, D. -Y., Jobic, S., Hogan, T., Kannewurf, C. R., Brec, R., Rouxel, J., Kanatzidis, M. G., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119, 2505 (1997).Google Scholar
12. Volk, K., Cordier, G., Cook, R., Schäfer, H., Z. Naturforsch. 35B, 136 (1980).Google Scholar
13. Choi, K. -S., Iordanidis, L., Chondroudis, K., Kanatzidis, M. G., Inorg. Chem. 36, 3804 (1997).Google Scholar
14. McCarthy, T. J., Tanzer, T. A., Kanatzidis, M. G., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 117, 1294 (1995).Google Scholar
15. Chen, J. H. and Dorhout, P. K., J. Alloys Comp. 249, 199 (1997).Google Scholar
16. Duck, D. -Y., Hogan, T., Brazis, P., Rocci-Lane, M., Kannewurf, C., Bastea, M., Uher, C., Kanatzidis, M. G., Science 287, 1024 (2000).Google Scholar
17. Cordier, G., Schäfer, H., Schwidetzky, C., Revue de Chimie minérale 22, 631 (1985).Google Scholar
18. Wang, Y. C. and DiSalvo, F. J., Chem. Mater. 12, 1011 (2000).Google Scholar
19. (a) Wang, Y. C., PhD dissertation, Cornell University, 2000, to be published. (b) Y. C. Wang, R. Hoffmann, F. J. DiSalvo, results to be published.Google Scholar
20. Kanatzidis, M. G., MaCarthy, T. J., Tanzer, T. A., Chen, L. -H., Iordanidis, L., Hogan, T., Kannewurf, C. R., Uher, C., Chen, B., Chem. Mater. 8, 1465 (1996).Google Scholar
21. Iordanidis, L., Brazis, P. W., Kannewurf, C. R., Kanatzidis, M. G., MRS 1998 Fall Meeting-SymposiumZ4.30, Boston, MA, USA.Google Scholar
22. Cracknell, A. P., J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 6, 826 (1973).Google Scholar
23. Altmann, S. L., Band Theory of Solids: An Introduction from the Point of View of Symmetry (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1995), Chap 6.Google Scholar
24. ICSD/RETRIEVE 2.01, Gmelin Institute / Fiz Karlsruhe, Release February 1998.Google Scholar
25. Aurivillius, B., Acta Chem. Scand. 37A, 399 (1983).Google Scholar
26. Wang, Y. C., Hoffmann, R., DiSalvo, F. J., J. Solid State Chem., submitted.Google Scholar
27. Post, E. and Krämer, V., Mater. Res. Bull. 19, 1607 (1984).Google Scholar
28. Poduska, K. M. and DiSalvo, F. J., results to be published.Google Scholar