Grid-plainification enables medium-temperature PbSe thermoelectrics to cool better than Bi2Te3

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Qin, Yongxin; Qin, Bingchao; Hong, Tao; Zhang, Xiao; Wang, Dongyang; Liu, Dongrui; Wang, Zi-Yuan; Su, Lizhong; Wang, Sining; Gao, Xiang; Ge, Zhen-Hua; Zhao, Li-Dong
• 署名单位: Beihang University; Beihang University; Tianmushan Lab; Zhengzhou University; Kunming University of Science & Technology; Taiyuan University of Science & Technology
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-13258
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adk9589
• 发表日期: 2024-03-15
• 页码: 1204-1209
• 关键词: n-type pbse; thermal-conductivity; performance; EFFICIENCY; generation; parameters; lead; zt

摘要

Thermoelectric cooling technology has important applications for processes such as precise temperature control in intelligent electronics. The bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3)-based coolers currently in use are limited by the scarcity of Te and less-than-ideal cooling capability. We demonstrate how removing lattice vacancies through a grid-design strategy switched PbSe from being useful as a medium-temperature power generator to a thermoelectric cooler. At room temperature, the seven-pair device based on n-type PbSe and p-type SnSe produced a maximum cooling temperature difference of similar to 73 kelvin, with a single-leg power generation efficiency approaching 11.2%. We attribute our results to a power factor of >52 microwatts per centimeter per square kelvin, which was achieved by boosting carrier mobility. Our demonstration suggests a path for commercial applications of thermoelectric cooling based on Earth-abundant Te-free selenide-based compounds.