Eco-friendly p-type Cu2SnS3 thermoelectric material: crystal structure and transport properties

Abstract

As a new eco-friendly thermoelectric material, copper tin sulfide (Cu2SnS3) ceramics were experimentally studied by Zn-doping. Excellent electrical transport properties were obtained by virtue of 3-dimensionally conductive network for holes, which are less affected by the coexistence of cubic and tetragonal phases that formed upon Zn subsitition for Sn; a highest power factors ~0.84 mW m−1 K−2 at 723 K was achieved in the 20% doped sample. Moreover, an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity close to theoretical minimum was observed in these samples, which could be related to the disordering of atoms in the coexisting cubic and tetragonal phases and the interfaces. Thanks to the phonon-glass-electron-crystal features, a maximum ZT ~ 0.58 was obtained at 723 K, which stands among the tops for sulfide thermoelectrics at the same temperature.

Copper chalcogenide thermoelectric materials

“…zT of~0.5 at 750 K were obtained in Ga-doped Cu 2 GeSe 3 samples [144]. Similar results are also found in Cu 2 SnS 3 [142,145].…”

Enhancing the thermoelectric performance of Cu3SnS4-based solid solutions through coordination of the Seebeck coefficient and carrier concentration

“…Ternary chalcogenides Cu-Sn-S based compounds [1][2][3] or oxide ceramics 4,5 have attracted much attention in thermoelectrics in recent years, due to earth-abundance of constituent elements or thermal stability in air. Therefore, the development of these materials is crucial if thermoelectrics is to supply a significant fraction of the world's energy needs.…”

Copper Sulfides: Earth‐Abundant and Low‐Cost Thermoelectric Materials

“…There are other alloys, which consist of copper and sulfur as main candidates; one of the most frequently studied compounds is copper tin sulfide . Bourgès et al shown a low thermal conductivity in Cu 4 Sn 7 S 16 compound and proposed it as a promising material for the thermoelectrics .…”