%0 Journal Article
%T Flexible layer-structured Bi2Te3 thermoelectric on a carbon nanotube scaffold
%J -
%D 2018
%R https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0217-z
%X Inorganic chalcogenides are traditional high-performance thermoelectric materials. However, they suffer from intrinsic brittleness and it is very difficult to obtain materials with both high thermoelectric ability and good flexibility. Here, we report a flexible thermoelectric material comprising highly ordered Bi2Te3 nanocrystals anchored on a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) network, where a crystallographic relationship exists between the Bi2Te3 <\(\bar{1}2\bar{1}0\)> orientation and SWCNT bundle axis. This material has a power factor of ~1,600£¿¦ÌW£¿m£¿1£¿K£¿2 at room temperature, decreasing to 1,100£¿¦ÌW£¿m£¿1£¿K£¿2 at 473£¿K. With a low in-plane lattice thermal conductivity of 0.26£¿¡À£¿0.03 W£¿m£¿1£¿K£¿1, a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.89 at room temperature is achieved, originating from a strong phonon scattering effect. The origin of the excellent flexibility and thermoelectric performance of the Bi2Te3¨CSWCNT material is attributed, by experimental and computational evidence, to its crystal orientation, interface and nanopore structure. Our results provide insight into the design and fabrication of high-performance flexible thermoelectric materials
%U https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-018-0217-z