Robust mechanical properties of Ag<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>1–</sub><sub>x</sub>Te<sub>x</sub> thermoelectric materials

High mechanical robustness is essential to the material’s processibility for the applications in flexible and miniaturized electronics. As state-of-the-art room-temperature thermoelectric materials, Ag<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>1–x</sub>Te<sub>x</sub> alloys exhibit super...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chen Heyang, Ren Shenghong, Feng Hengyang, Wei Tian-Ran, Fu Ling, Pan Zhenyu, Zhao Kunpeng, Li Xiuyan, Shi Xun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Science Press 2025-04-01
Series:National Science Open
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Online Access:https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.1360/nso/20250005
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Summary:High mechanical robustness is essential to the material’s processibility for the applications in flexible and miniaturized electronics. As state-of-the-art room-temperature thermoelectric materials, Ag<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>1–x</sub>Te<sub>x</sub> alloys exhibit superior thermoelectric transport properties but their mechanical properties remain largely unexplored. Herein, we systematically investigate the mechanical and thermoelectric properties of a series of Ag<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>1–x</sub>Te<sub>x</sub> materials. Among them, Ag<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>0.9</sub>Te<sub>0.1</sub> shows robust mechanical properties including a large compression strain of (26.7 ± 4.5)%, a high compression strength of (279.2 ± <sc>49) MPa,</sc> and an excellent fracture toughness of (4.5 ± <sc>0.6) MPa m<sup>1/2</sup></sc>. These robust mechanical properties are ascribed to the dense dislocations as well as possible sub-grain rotations. Combined with the excellent thermoelectric figure of merit, zT of 0.78 at <sc>300 K</sc> and 1.1 at <sc>380 K,</sc> the Ag<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>1–x</sub>Te<sub>x</sub> alloys are promising candidates for robust and efficient thermoelectric applications near room temperature.
ISSN:2097-1168