Sulfur simultaneously act as pore-forming agent and doping agent to improve the thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te2.7Se0.3

Constructing nanopores in the solid is considered as an effective mean for suppressing thermal conduction, nanoporous materials have shown a desired potential for thermoelectric application. Herein, a simple two-step method is employed to construct nanopores in commercial n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 (BTSe) material by evenly mixing sulfur with Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 powders and then hot-pressing. Some of sulfur can be sublimed to leave pores with the size of...