Using anodic aluminum oxide templates and electrochemical method to deposit BiSbTe-based thermoelectric nanowires

In this study, the cyclic voltammetry method was first used to find the reduced voltages and anodic peaks of Bi(3+), Sb(3+), and Te(4+) ions as the judgments for the growth of the (Bi,Sb)(2 - x) Te(3 + x)-based materials. Ethylene glycol (C(2)H(6)O(2)) was used as a solvent, and 0.3 M potassium iodide (KI) was used to improve the conductivity of the solution. Two different electrolyte formulas were first used: (a) 0.01 M Bi(NO(3))(3)-5H(2)O, 0.01 M SbCl(3), and 0.01 M TeCl(4) and (b) 0.015 M Bi(NO(3))(3)-5H(2)O, 0.005 M SbCl(3), and 0.0075 M TeCl(4). The potentiostatic deposition process was first used to find the effect of reduced voltage on the variation of compositions of the (Bi,Sb)(2 - x)Te(3 + x)-based materials. After finding the better reduced voltage, 0.01 M Bi(NO(3))(3)-5H(2)O, 0.01 M SbCl(3), and 0.01 M TeCl(4) were used as the electrolyte formula. The pulse deposition process was successfully used to control the composition of the (Bi,Sb)(2 - x)Te(3 + x)-based materials and grow the nanowires in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates.