Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>

Recently, dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) beyond 1.0 has been demonstrated in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>, positioning it as a low-cost and ecofriendly thermoelectric alternative, and sparking intense interest in further optimizing its thermoelectric properti...

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Main Authors: Chen Pengpeng, Bai Shulin, Wen Yi, Li Yichen, Zhao Zihao, Gao Dezheng, Huang Houdong, Hu Yixuan, Gao Tian, Wang Lei, Zhan Shaoping, Gao Xiang, Su Xianli, Xie Hongyao, Zhao Li-Dong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Science Press 2025-03-01
Series:National Science Open
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Online Access:https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.1360/nso/20250004
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author Chen Pengpeng
Bai Shulin
Wen Yi
Li Yichen
Zhao Zihao
Gao Dezheng
Huang Houdong
Hu Yixuan
Gao Tian
Wang Lei
Zhan Shaoping
Gao Xiang
Su Xianli
Xie Hongyao
Zhao Li-Dong
author_facet Chen Pengpeng
Bai Shulin
Wen Yi
Li Yichen
Zhao Zihao
Gao Dezheng
Huang Houdong
Hu Yixuan
Gao Tian
Wang Lei
Zhan Shaoping
Gao Xiang
Su Xianli
Xie Hongyao
Zhao Li-Dong
author_sort Chen Pengpeng
collection DOAJ
description Recently, dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) beyond 1.0 has been demonstrated in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>, positioning it as a low-cost and ecofriendly thermoelectric alternative, and sparking intense interest in further optimizing its thermoelectric properties. However, its intrinsic monoclinic structure and the compact packing of tetrahedral coordination lead to a light valence band and high thermal conductivity, which impede further performance improvement in Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>. Thus, developing effective approaches to altering the local structure of Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub> is important for further optimizing its thermoelectric performance. Herein, we identified and thoroughly investigated the atomic off-centering behavior in Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>, and demonstrated the electronic and phonon transport properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub> can be significantly enhanced by carefully modifying its monoclinic lattice into a distorted zinc-blende cubic structure via introducing Cd and off-centering Ag elements. This structure transition leads to band convergence and a reduction in the deformation potential of the material, resulting in a 7-fold enhancement in the density-of-state effective mass and an 85% increase in carrier mobility. Additionally, the off-centering effect results in strong acoustic-optical phonon scattering and an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity of <sc>0.3 W m<sup>−1</sup> K<sup>−1</sup>.</sc> Consequently, a maximum ZT of 1.3 was obtained at <sc>800 K</sc> for the Cu<sub>1.85</sub>Ag<sub>0.15</sub>Sn<sub>0.9</sub>Cd<sub>0.1</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>.
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spelling doaj-art-eef9cf359d7e4e39b12beb1eb9d02a472025-08-20T01:54:57ZengScience PressNational Science Open2097-11682025-03-01410.1360/nso/20250004eb33e642Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>Chen Pengpeng0Bai Shulin1Wen Yi2Li Yichen3Zhao Zihao4Gao Dezheng5Huang Houdong6Hu Yixuan7Gao Tian8Wang Lei9Zhan Shaoping10Gao Xiang11Su Xianli12Xie Hongyao13Zhao Li-Dong14["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China","Center for Bioinspired Science and Technology, Hangzhou International Innovation Institute, Beihang University, Hangzhou 311115, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Beijing 100094, China"]["State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China"]["School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China","Center for Bioinspired Science and Technology, Hangzhou International Innovation Institute, Beihang University, Hangzhou 311115, China"]Recently, dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) beyond 1.0 has been demonstrated in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>, positioning it as a low-cost and ecofriendly thermoelectric alternative, and sparking intense interest in further optimizing its thermoelectric properties. However, its intrinsic monoclinic structure and the compact packing of tetrahedral coordination lead to a light valence band and high thermal conductivity, which impede further performance improvement in Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>. Thus, developing effective approaches to altering the local structure of Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub> is important for further optimizing its thermoelectric performance. Herein, we identified and thoroughly investigated the atomic off-centering behavior in Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>, and demonstrated the electronic and phonon transport properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub> can be significantly enhanced by carefully modifying its monoclinic lattice into a distorted zinc-blende cubic structure via introducing Cd and off-centering Ag elements. This structure transition leads to band convergence and a reduction in the deformation potential of the material, resulting in a 7-fold enhancement in the density-of-state effective mass and an 85% increase in carrier mobility. Additionally, the off-centering effect results in strong acoustic-optical phonon scattering and an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity of <sc>0.3 W m<sup>−1</sup> K<sup>−1</sup>.</sc> Consequently, a maximum ZT of 1.3 was obtained at <sc>800 K</sc> for the Cu<sub>1.85</sub>Ag<sub>0.15</sub>Sn<sub>0.9</sub>Cd<sub>0.1</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>.https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.1360/nso/20250004thermoelectriccrystal structure transitionoff-centering behaviorlocal symmetry breaking
spellingShingle Chen Pengpeng
Bai Shulin
Wen Yi
Li Yichen
Zhao Zihao
Gao Dezheng
Huang Houdong
Hu Yixuan
Gao Tian
Wang Lei
Zhan Shaoping
Gao Xiang
Su Xianli
Xie Hongyao
Zhao Li-Dong
Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>
National Science Open
thermoelectric
crystal structure transition
off-centering behavior
local symmetry breaking
title Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>
title_full Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>
title_fullStr Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>
title_full_unstemmed Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>
title_short Off-centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid Cu<sub>2</sub>SnSe<sub>3</sub>
title_sort off centering effect and crystal symmetry modification lead to high thermoelectric performance in diamondoid cu sub 2 sub snse sub 3 sub
topic thermoelectric
crystal structure transition
off-centering behavior
local symmetry breaking
url https://www.sciengine.com/doi/10.1360/nso/20250004
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