Heavily doped PbSe with high thermoelectric performance
View Patent ↗The present invention discloses heavily doped PbSe with high thermoelectric performance. Thermoelectric property measurements disclosed herein indicated that PbSe is high zT material for mid-to-high temperature thermoelectric applications. At 850 K a peak zT>1.3 was observed when n H ˜1.0×10 20 cm −3 . The present invention also discloses that a number of strategies used to improve zT of PbTe, such as alloying with other elements, nanostructuring and band modification may also be used to further improve zT in PbSe.
1. A compound of the formula Na x Pb 1-x Se, wherein 0.005≦x≦0.025, and wherein density of the compound is 98% or greater of the theoretical value, and 3×10 19 cm −3 ≦n H ≦3×10 20 cm −3 .
2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) of greater than 1.3 at 850 K.
3. A thermoelectric material comprising a compound of the formula Na x Pb 1-x Se, wherein 0.005≦x≦0.025, and wherein density of the compound is 98% or greater of the theoretical value, and 3×10 19 cm −3 ≦n H ≦3×10 20 cm −3 .
4. The thermoelectric material of claim 3 , wherein the composition has a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) of greater than 1.3 at 850 K.