SPECIAL TOPIC – Phononics and phonon engineering|1 Article(s)
First principles calculations on the thermoelectric properties of bulk Au2S with ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity
Y Y Wu, X L Zhu, H Y Yang, Z G Wang, Y H Li, and B T Wang
Sulfide nanocrystals and their composites have shown great potential in the thermoelectric (TE) field due to their extremely low thermal conductivity. Recently a solid and hollow metastable Au2S nanocrystalline has been successfully synthesized. Herein, we study the TE properties of this bulk Au2S by first-principles calculations and semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory, which provides the basis for its further experimental studies. Our results indicate that the highly twofold degeneracy of the bands appears at the Γ point in the Brillouin zone, resulting in a high Seebeck coefficient. Besides, Au2S exhibits an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity (~ 0.88 W?m-1?K-1 at 700 K). At 700 K, the thermoelectric figure of merit of the optimal p-type doping is close to 1.76, which is higher than 0.8 of ZrSb at 700 K and 1.4 of PtTe at 750 K. Our work clearly demonstrates the advantages of Au2S as a TE material and would greatly inspire further experimental studies and verifications.
Chinese Physics B
  • Publication Date: Jan. 01, 2020
  • Vol. 29, Issue 8, (2020)