Enhanced thermoelectric properties of Ag doped Cu2S by using hydrothermal method

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 919; p. 165830
• Main Authors: Yue, Ziwei, Zhou, Wei, Ji, Xiaoliang, Zhang, Fuwen, Guo, Fu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 25.10.2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Ag nanoparticles; Carrier density; Copper sulfides; Cu2S; Doping; Energy consumption; Environment pollution; Hydrothermal method; Nanoparticles; Power factor; Silver; Thermal conductivity; Thermoelectric material; Thermoelectric materials; Thermoelectricity; Thermoelectric material; Cu2S; Hydrothermal method; Ag nanoparticles
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.165830

Harvesting waste heat into electricity through thermoelectric (TE) material can make a great contribution to reducing energy consumption and environment pollution. Cu2S has proved itself to be a highly promising TE material, whereas the poor electrical property restricts its practical application. Therefore, the way to improve its electrical property by doping elements with high carrier concentration in an environmental-friendly method accelerate its application. Herein, Ag nanoparticles are incorporated into a p-type Cu2S (Ag/Cu2S) by a facile hydrothermal method to improve the thermoelectric properties. The introduction of Ag can effectively tune the carrier concentration, resulting in a high power factor of 1698 μW m−1 K−2; meanwhile, Ag doping can also enhance the phonon scattering, further reducing the thermal conductivity. Eventually, a ZTmax peak value ≈ 1.4 @ 773 K is achieved in the 0.5 wt% Ag-doped Cu2S samples. The design principle for Ag/Cu2S composites opens up a new pathway for the synthesis and application of thermoelectric material. •A green hydrothermal method was applied to synthesize Ag-incorporated Cu2S.•Ag NP with similar lattice constant to Cu was doped in Cu2S to study TE properties.•The Ag/Cu2S highest ZT value of 1.4 at 773 K was achieved 163 % higher than pure Cu2S.