Fine-tuning thermoelectric performance in n-type Bi2O2Se through iodine doping
摘要
N-type Bi2O2Se-based oxychalcogenide has shown strong potential for lead-free mid-temperature thermoelectric applications, primarily owing to its intrinsically low thermal conductivity. However, its thermoelectric performance is substantially enhanced by addressing the limitation of its inherently low carrier concentration (~1015 cm-3). In this work, incorporating iodine into the Bi2O2Se system enables significantly tuning the carrier concentration and electrical conductivity. Combined with a moderate Seebeck coefficient, an optimized power factor of 4.72 µW/cm K2 is obtained at 773 K. Simultaneously, the lattice strain induced by localized lattice dislocations and distortions noticeably scatters the heat-carrying phonons, contributing to suppressing the lattice thermal conductivity. Consequently, these electronic and thermal effects contribute to a peak ZT value of 0.38 at 773 K for Bi2O2Se0.997I0.003, reflecting a 23% improvement over pristine Bi2O2Se. This study offers a framework for the strategic design of effective dopants and manipulating the induced lattice strain to enhance the performance of thermoelectric materials.