The widespread use of thermoelectric technology is constrained by a relatively low conversion efficiency of the bulk alloys, which is evaluated in terms of a dimensionless figure of merit (zT). ThezTof bulk alloys can be improved by reducing lattice thermal conductivity through grain boundary and point-defect scattering, which target low- and high-frequency phonons. Dense dislocation arrays formed at low-energy grain boundaries by liquid-phase compaction in Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3(bismuth antimony telluride) effectively scatter midfrequency phonons, leading to a substantially lower lattice thermal conductivity. Full-spectrum phonon scattering with minimal charge-carrier scattering dramatically improved thezTto 1.86 ± 0.15 at 320 kelvin (K). Further, a thermoelectric cooler confirmed the performance with a maximum temperature difference of 81 K, which is much higher than current commercial Peltier cooling devices.

The thermoelectric properties of Zn-, In-, and I-doped Cu1.7Bi4.7Se8 pavonite homologues were investigated in the temperature range from 300 to 560 K. On the basis of the comprehensive structural analysis using Rietveld refinement of synchrotron radiation diffraction for Cu(x+y)Bi(5-y)Se8 compounds with the inherently disordered crystallographic sites, we demonstrate a doping strategy that provides a simultaneous control for enhanced electronic transport properties by the optimization of carrier concentration and exceptionally low lattice thermal conductivity by the formation of point defects. Substituted Zn or In ions on Cu site was found to be an effective phonon scattering center as well as an electron donor, while doping on Bi site showed a moderate effect for phonon scattering. In addition, we achieved largely enhanced power factor in small amount of In doping on Cu site by increased electrical conductivity and moderately decreased Seebeck coefficient. Coupled with a low lattice thermal conductivity originated from intensified point defect phonon scattering by substituted In ions with host Cu ions, a thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of 0.24 at 560 K for Cu1.6915In0.0085Bi4.7Se8 was achieved, yielding 30% enhancement compared with that of a pristine Cu1.7Bi4.7Se8 at the same temperature.