Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit

Abstract Thermoelectric (TE) materials offer a promising pathway toward achieving carbon neutrality by converting waste heat into electricity. The enhancement of their figure-of-merit (zT) depends on optimizing the composition of materials and nanostructures, reducing the thermal conductivity, and i...

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Main Authors: Masahiro Goto, Michiko Sasaki, Taku Moronaga, Toru Hara, Yibin Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12345-4
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author Masahiro Goto
Michiko Sasaki
Taku Moronaga
Toru Hara
Yibin Xu
author_facet Masahiro Goto
Michiko Sasaki
Taku Moronaga
Toru Hara
Yibin Xu
author_sort Masahiro Goto
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Thermoelectric (TE) materials offer a promising pathway toward achieving carbon neutrality by converting waste heat into electricity. The enhancement of their figure-of-merit (zT) depends on optimizing the composition of materials and nanostructures, reducing the thermal conductivity, and increasing the power factor. Cu2Se, a superionic material, achieves a zT of 0.4 at 300 K by facilitating Cu ion movement within its face-centered cubic lattice, effectively suppressing thermal conductivity. Herein, we present a novel TE material developed by doping CuxSe crystals of different compositions with FeSi2. We report a remarkable zT of 0.69 at 298 K for Cu2Se-based materials and reveal the presence of the CuO and Cu2O tiny crystals on the material surface, uniform dispersion of Si within the film, and formation of distinctive amorphous FeO. Our strategy holds great potential for notably advancing waste heat recovery in sustainable TE materials.
format Article
id doaj-art-33ad50cfd5e94755a37f7654e5c32bf1
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-33ad50cfd5e94755a37f7654e5c32bf12025-08-20T03:05:21ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-12345-4Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of meritMasahiro Goto0Michiko Sasaki1Taku Moronaga2Toru Hara3Yibin Xu4Thermal Energy Materials Group, Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Thermal Energy Materials Group, Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Electron Microscopy Unit, Materials Fabrication and Analysis Platform, Research Network and Facility Services Division, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Microstructure Analysis Group, Research Center for Structural Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Data-Driven Inorganic Materials Group, Center for Basic Research on Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Abstract Thermoelectric (TE) materials offer a promising pathway toward achieving carbon neutrality by converting waste heat into electricity. The enhancement of their figure-of-merit (zT) depends on optimizing the composition of materials and nanostructures, reducing the thermal conductivity, and increasing the power factor. Cu2Se, a superionic material, achieves a zT of 0.4 at 300 K by facilitating Cu ion movement within its face-centered cubic lattice, effectively suppressing thermal conductivity. Herein, we present a novel TE material developed by doping CuxSe crystals of different compositions with FeSi2. We report a remarkable zT of 0.69 at 298 K for Cu2Se-based materials and reveal the presence of the CuO and Cu2O tiny crystals on the material surface, uniform dispersion of Si within the film, and formation of distinctive amorphous FeO. Our strategy holds great potential for notably advancing waste heat recovery in sustainable TE materials.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12345-4ThermoelectricCu2SeSputterThin filmCompositeFeSi2
spellingShingle Masahiro Goto
Michiko Sasaki
Taku Moronaga
Toru Hara
Yibin Xu
Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
Scientific Reports
Thermoelectric
Cu2Se
Sputter
Thin film
Composite
FeSi2
title Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
title_full Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
title_fullStr Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
title_full_unstemmed Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
title_short Room-temperature FeSi2-doped Cu2Se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
title_sort room temperature fesi2 doped cu2se thermoelectric films with enhanced figure of merit
topic Thermoelectric
Cu2Se
Sputter
Thin film
Composite
FeSi2
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12345-4
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AT michikosasaki roomtemperaturefesi2dopedcu2sethermoelectricfilmswithenhancedfigureofmerit
AT takumoronaga roomtemperaturefesi2dopedcu2sethermoelectricfilmswithenhancedfigureofmerit
AT toruhara roomtemperaturefesi2dopedcu2sethermoelectricfilmswithenhancedfigureofmerit
AT yibinxu roomtemperaturefesi2dopedcu2sethermoelectricfilmswithenhancedfigureofmerit