Nanoporous PbSe–SiO(2) Thermoelectric Composites

Nanoporous architecture has long been predicted theoretically for its proficiency in suppressing thermal conduction, but less concerned as a practical approach for better thermoelectric materials hitherto probably due to its technical challenges. This article demonstrates a study on nanoporous PbSe–SiO(2) composites fabricated by a facile method of mechanical alloying assisted by subsequent wet‐milling and then spark plasma sintering. Owing to the formation of random nanopores and additional interface scattering, the lattice thermal conductivity is limited to a value as low as 0.56 W m(−1) K(−1) at above 600 K, almost the same low level achieved by introducing nanoscale precipitates. Besides, the room‐temperature electrical transport is found to be dominated by the grain‐boundary potential barrier scattering, whose effect fades away with increasing temperatures. Consequently, a maximum ZT of 1.15 at 823 K is achieved in the PbSe + 0.7 vol% SiO(2) composition with >20% increase in average ZT, indicating the great potential of nanoporous structuring toward high thermoelectric conversion efficiency.