Thermoelectric properties of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3/C60 nanocomposites

A thermoelectric nanocomposite of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 with the C60 fullerene molecules has been synthesized and studied. The fullerene molecules provide the phonons blocking, reducing the lattice thermal conductivity. The reduction of the electrical conductivity is much less than the heat conductivity reduction at a low fullerene content. Therefore, the thermoelectric figure of merit increases up to 25% at 305 K. The thermoelectric properties of the synthesized materials have been analyzed theoretically in the frame of the Boltzmann equation approach. The calculations predict the optimal carrier concentration and C60 content for a maximal value of the thermoelectric figure of merit in a wide temperature range.