Impact of CuFeS2 on the Thermoelectric Performance of SnTe

doi:10.1007/s40195-025-01831-3

Abstract

Abstract:

Thermoelectric materials possess tremendous potential in energy regeneration owing to their capacity to produce power directly from heat. SnTe, a lead-free compound, is a prospective thermoelectric material. However, because of its elevated thermal conductivity, the thermoelectric performance of undoped SnTe remains at a low level. In this work, we induce ternary compounds CuFeS₂ into the SnTe matrix by ball milling. We observe the decomposition of CuFeS₂, which decomposes into FeS, Cu₂S, and other binary compounds. These newly generated binary compounds form micropores and secondary phases in the matrix. Combined with the natural grain boundaries in the polycrystal, they form all-scale hierarchical structures within the material, resulting in reduced lattice thermal conductivity. Overall, the produced SnTe + 2 wt% CuFeS₂ composites show the peak dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) up to 0.33 at 673 K, an increase of ~ 100% compared to the undoped SnTe.

Key words: Thermoelectric, SnTe, Composites, Decomposition of CuFeS₂

Baocheng Yuan, Yi Wen, Lei Wang, Zhihao Li, Hong-Chao Wang, Cheng Chang, Li-Dong Zhao. Impact of CuFeS₂ on the Thermoelectric Performance of SnTe[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2025, 38(5): 803-810.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of phonon scattering by micropores, secondary phases, grain boundaries in the material

Fig. 2 a XRD patterns of SnTe-CuFeS2 composites, b lattice parameter of SnTe-CuFeS2 composites

Fig. 3 a SEM image of SnTe, b, c corresponding EDS mapping of Sn, Te in SnTe, d SEM image of SnTe + 2 wt% CuFeS2 composites, e-i corresponding EDS mapping of Sn, Te, Cu, Fe, S in SnTe + 2 wt% CuFeS2 composites. j SEM image of SnTe + 3 wt% CuFeS2 composites, k-o corresponding EDS mapping of Sn, Te, Cu, Fe, S in SnTe + 3 wt% CuFeS2 composites

Table 1 Composition of SnTe-CuFeS2 composites obtained from SEM-EDS analysis

Sample	Sn (at.%)	Te (at.%)	Cu (at.%)	Fe (at.%)	S (at.%)
SnTe	51.5	48.5	-	-	-
SnTe + 1 wt% CuFeS₂	50.2	46.5	1.3	1.2	0.8
SnTe + 2 wt% CuFeS₂	48.2	45	2.7	2.4	1.6
SnTe + 3 wt% CuFeS₂	47.6	43.8	3.5	3.2	1.9

Fig. 4 a SEM image of SnTe + 1 wt% CuFeS2 composites, b-f corresponding EDS mapping of Sn, Te, Cu, Fe, S

Fig. 5 Electrical properties of SnTe + x wt% CuFeS2 composites. a σ, b S, c PF, d nH, e μH, f the Pisarenko plot [29]. The S of undoped/Bi-/Sb-doped SnTe is taken from references [30]

Fig. 6 Thermal properties and ZT of SnTe + x wt% CuFeS2 composites: a κtot, b κele, c κlat, d ZT

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Impact of CuFeS₂ on the Thermoelectric Performance of SnTe

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