Benchtop method for making thermoelectric silver selenide-based materials

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of a near-room temperature thermoelectric material β-Ag2Se. Interstitial, vacancy, and substitutional doping has been used to tune the charge and heat transport properties of the parent β-Ag2Se structure to enhance thermoelectric performance. The transformation of β-Ag2Se into α-Ag2Se at ˜134° C. and the low solubility of dopants are obstacles to this doping approach. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a facile, safe, scalable, and cost-effective benchtop approach to successfully produce doped β-Ag2Se. The doped materials provide enhancement of thermoelectric performance with a high peak zT of 1.30 at 117° C. and an average zT of about 1.15 in the 25-120° C. range for 0.2 at. % Zn-doped Ag2Se. Zn doping into Ag vacancies/interstitials creates point defects, enhancing the scattering of phonons and tuning the charge carrier properties—leading to the significant suppression of thermal conductivity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.