Effective decoupling of seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity through isovalent substitution of erbium in bismuth selenide thermoelectric material.

Recognizing high thermoelectric performance in semiconducting materials is a challenging task. This is because the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity which constitute the thermoelectric power factor are unfavourably coupled. This means decoupling the transport properties of thermoelectric materials to enhance the power factor without compromising the thermal conductivity is essential. Herein we report that the substitution of erbium (Er) within bismuth selenide (Bi 2 Se 3) results in a simultaneous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity via effective mass and Fermi energy optimization. The Er-Substitution in Bi 2 Se 3 does not only promote a simultaneous increase in Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity but also decreases the thermal conductivity through an enhancement in phonon scattering. Consequently, the optimum composition is found for the Bi 1 · 85 Er 0 · 15 Se 3 sample instigating that, minimal substitution amount is required to optimize the thermoelectric performance. Our numerical calculation also shows that Er substitution alters the Fermi energy of the Bi 2 Se 3 TE materials, thereby enhancing the effective mass. Through Raman and XPS characterization, we also elucidate that Er substitution does not change the chemical structure and chemical bonding of the pristine material appreciably. It thus leads to improvement in the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity via effective mass optimization. This unique work presents a facile, scalable, cost-effective, and controllable synthesis of nanostructured Bi 2 Se 3 toward realizing high-performance thermoelectric devices. Image 1 • A facile synthesis of high purity erbium substituted Bi 2 Se 3 thermoelectric material. • This study elucidates a mechanism of simultaneous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity through isovalent substitution. • Numerical discussion of the effect of the erbium substitution on the Fermi energy as evidence of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity decoupling is shown. • Systematic analysis of the structural, morphology and thermoelectric properties of the Er substituted Bi 2 Se 3 is related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]