Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of ZnO/Cu₂SnSe₃ Composites

Abstract:

Addition of nanoparticles into bulk materials is an efficient way to enhance the performance of thermoelectric materials. The nanoZnO particles were introduced into the Cu₂SnSe₃ matrix by ball milling method, and the ZnO/Cu₂SnSe₃ composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technology. The phase constitution and microstructure were characterized by XRD, FESEM. The effects of nanoZnO particles on the electrical and thermal transport were investigated and discussed. The diffraction spectra of all composites samples well corresponded to that of the matrix diffraction plane. The nanoZnO agglomerated into irregular clusters with the size lager than 200nm and distributed on the grain boundary or the surface of Cu₂SnSe₃ grain, which significantly reduce the lattice thermal conductivity by scattering middle-long wavelength phonons. The optimal ZT value was obtained from the composite sample of 2.4 vol. % ZnO, which is 1.3 times as large as that of the Cu₂SnSe₃ matrix.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 898)
• Pages: 1661-1668
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.898.1661
• Online since: June 2017
• Authors: Ji Ai Ning, De Gang Zhao*, Peng Jia, Di Wu
• Keywords: Composites, Cu₂SnSe₃, Nano-ZnO, Thermoelectric

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