Defect Engineering in Solution-Processed Polycrystalline SnSe Leads to High Thermoelectric Performance

ACS Nano, vol. 16, pp. 78–88

Abstract

SnSe has emerged as one of the most promising materials for thermoelectric energy conversion due to its extraordinary performance in its single-crystal form and its low-cost constituent elements. However, to achieve an economic impact, the polycrystalline counterpart needs to replicate the performance of the single crystal. Herein, we optimize the thermoelectric performance of polycrystalline SnSe produced by consolidating solution-processed and surface-engineered SnSe particles. In particular, the SnSe particles are coated with CdSe molecular complexes that crystallize during the sintering process, forming CdSe nanoparticles. The presence of CdSe nanoparticles inhibits SnSe grain growth during the consolidation step due to Zener pinning, yielding a material with a high density of grain boundaries. Moreover, the resulting SnSe-CdSe nanocomposites present a large number of defects at different length scales, which significantly reduce the thermal conductivity. The produced SnSe-CdSe nanocomposites exhibit thermoelectric figures of merit up to 2.2 at 786 K, which is among the highest reported for solution-processed SnSe.

Authors 12

1. Yu Liu

   Institute of Science and Technology Austria

   Affiliation as printed

   IST Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria

2. Mariano Calcabrini

   Institute of Science and Technology Austria

   Affiliation as printed

   IST Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria

3. Yuan Yu Aachen I. Physikalisches Institut

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Seungho Lee

   Institute of Science and Technology Austria

   Affiliation as printed

   IST Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria

5. Cheng Chang

   Institute of Science and Technology Austria

   Affiliation as printed

   IST Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria

6. Jérémy David

   Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia

   Affiliation as printed

   Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

7. Tanmoy Ghosh

   Institute of Science and Technology Austria

   Affiliation as printed

   IST Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria

8. María Chiara Spadaro

   Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia

   Affiliation as printed

   Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

9. Chenyang Xie

   Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics, INTE & Barcelona Multiscale Res. Center, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Eduard Maristany 16, 08930 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

10. Oana Cojocaru‐Mirédin Aachen I. Physikalisches Institut

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    RWTH Aachen, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), Sommerfeldstraße 14, 52074 Aachen, Germany

11. Jordi Arbiol

    Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats · Institut Català de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia

    Affiliation as printed

    Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

12. María Ibáñez corresponding

    Institute of Science and Technology Austria

    Affiliation as printed

    IST Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria