Thermoelectric properties of Tl8GeTe5 with low thermal conductivity

Abstract

We examined the thermoelectric performance of Tl8GeTe 5 at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 700 K. We prepared sintered samples and evaluated their thermoelectric properties. Although the electrical properties were not exceptionally high, Tl8GeTe 5 exhibited the relatively high dimensionless figure of merit ZT, i.e., 0.19 at room temperature and 0.60 at 700 K, due to the low lattice thermal conductivity. © 2008 The Thermoelectrics Society of Japan.