Mechanical and Thermoelectric Properties of Bismuth Chalcogenide Solid Solutions Prepared through Melt Solidification in a Liquid

Abstract

We have studied the mechanical and thermoelectric properties of samples of n-type Bi₂Te₃–Bi₂Se₃ solid solutions containing 8 and 20 mol % Bi₂Se₃; doped with excess tellurium, cadmium chloride, and antimony iodide; and prepared by hot-pressing and extruding granules produced through melt solidification in a liquid. The materials have been tested in compression at 300, 423, 523, and 623 K and in bending at 300 K. Their electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity have been measured in the temperature range 100–700 K. We have obtained materials with a compressive strength of ~260 MPa and maximum thermoelectric figure of merit ZT ~ 0.9 in the range 320–390 K.