| Abstract Scope |
To address the scarcity and toxicity of tellurium in conventional n-type Bi₂Te₃ thermoelectrics, this work explores two tellurium-free systems: antimony-doped bismuth (Bi(Sb)) and bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3), both synthesized using the Bridgman method. The Bi(Sb) crystals achieved a room-temperature zT of 0.4 at 300 K, marking a 30% enhancement over conventional polycrystalline SPS and Czochralski-grown samples. Bi2Se3 crystals, on the other hand, showed a 60% increase in power factor compared to typical polycrystalline counterparts, mainly due to superior electrical conductivity. These results demonstrate the viability of Bridgman-grown Bi(Sb) and Bi2Se3 as sustainable alternatives for low-temperature thermoelectric applications. Ongoing work focuses on correlating transport properties with carrier mobility, defects, and phase purity to further optimize performance. |