Ultrahigh‐Pressure Structural Modification in BiCuSeO Ceramics: Dense Dislocations and Exceptional Thermoelectric Performance

Advanced Energy Materials, vol. 15

Abstract

Abstract Dislocations as line defects in crystalline solids play a crucial role in controlling the mechanical and functional properties of materials. Yet, for functional ceramic oxides, it is very difficult to introduce dense dislocations because of the strong chemical bonds. In this work, the introduction of high‐density dislocations is demonstrated by ultrahigh‐pressure sintering into a typical ceramic oxide, BiCuSeO, for thermoelectric applications. The ultrahigh‐pressure induces shear stresses that surpass the critical strength for dislocation nucleation, followed by dislocation glide and profuse multiplication, leading to a high dislocation density of ≈9.1 × 10 16 m −2 in Bi 0.96 Pb 0.04 CuSeO ceramic. These dislocations greatly suppress the phonon transport to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity, reaching 0.13 Wm −1 K −1 at 767 K and resulting in a record‐high zT of 1.69 in this oxide thermoelectric ceramic. This study demonstrates the feasibility of generating dense dislocations in ceramic oxides via ultrahigh‐pressure sintering for tuning functional properties.

Authors 8

1. Zhanxiang Yin

   Changchun University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Materials Science and Engineering Changchun University of Science and Technology Changchun 130022 China

   School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022 China

2. He Zhang

   Changchun University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Materials Science and Engineering Changchun University of Science and Technology Changchun 130022 China

   School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022 China

3. Yaqiang Wang

   Changchun University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Materials Science and Engineering Changchun University of Science and Technology Changchun 130022 China

   School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022 China

4. Youbo Xing

   Changchun University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Materials Science and Engineering Changchun University of Science and Technology Changchun 130022 China

   School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022 China

5. Xue Wang

   Shandong Jiaotong University

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Science ShanDong JiaoTong University Jinan 250357 China

   School of Science, ShanDong JiaoTong University, Jinan, 250357 China

6. Xufei Fang corresponding

   Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Applied Materials Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Kaiserstrasse 12 76131 Karlsruhe Germany

   Institute for Applied Materials, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstrasse 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany

7. Yuan Yu corresponding Aachen Institute of Physics (IA)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Physics (IA) RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Physics (IA), RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany

8. Xin Guo corresponding

   Changchun University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Engineering Research Center of Optoelectronic Functional Materials Ministry of Education Changchun 130022 China

   School of Materials Science and Engineering Changchun University of Science and Technology Changchun 130022 China

   Engineering Research Center of Optoelectronic Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Changchun, 130022 China

   School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, 130022 China