Thermoelectric Properties of the Colloidal Bi2S3-Based Nanocomposites

Abstract

In this work we present the proof of the concept of the novel strategy to improve the thermoelectric properties of Bi2S3 based nanostructured bulk materials by blending the metallic nanoinclusions with the semiconductor nanoparticles forming the nanocomposites (NCts). The obtained NCts were composed of Bi2S3 nanorods (length – 100 nm and width – 10 nm) and Ag nanoparticles (diameter – 2-3 nm) synthesized by the colloidal method. The morphology, phase and chemical composition, electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of NCts were investigated by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), 4-point probes method and static dc-method. This strategy is the perspective way to improve the conversion efficiency of others thermoelectric materials.