Issue 2, 2022

Improved zT in Nb5Ge3–GeTe thermoelectric nanocomposite

Abstract

Robust electronic transport properties is a crucial in designing high performance thermoelectrics. A key similarity between superconductor and thermoelectric lies in their generally high electrical conductivity, even at above its superconducting temperature. In this work, we design a nanocomposite between Nb5Ge3 and GeTe-based thermoelectric to improve its thermoelectric figure of merit zT. Phase and microstructural characterization shows distinct Nb5Ge3 precipitates embed in Ge0.9Sb0.1Te matrix. In addition, experimental electronic and thermal transport analysis, together with density functional theory calculation were employed to show the synergistic effect of doping Sb and Nb5Ge3 nanocomposite approach. 10% Sb doping was found to optimize the electronic properties of the GeTe-based matrix. Further addition of 2 wt% Nb5Ge3 nanocomposite to the matrix enhances the phonon scattering, which consequently lowers the lattice thermal conductivity, which results in zT of up to 2.0 at 723 K. Such superconductor nanocomposite approach shown in this work can be employed to enhance the properties of other thermoelectric materials.

Graphical abstract: Improved zT in Nb5Ge3–GeTe thermoelectric nanocomposite

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 okt 2021
Accepted
15 dek 2021
First published
16 dek 2021

Nanoscale, 2022,14, 410-418

Improved zT in Nb5Ge3–GeTe thermoelectric nanocomposite

J. Cao, X. Y. Tan, N. Jia, D. Lan, S. F. D. Solco, K. Chen, S. W. Chien, H. Liu, C. K. I. Tan, Q. Zhu, J. Xu, Q. Yan and A. Suwardi, Nanoscale, 2022, 14, 410 DOI: 10.1039/D1NR06962D

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