A Systematic Investigation of PbSe Thermoelectric Material

The thermoelectric characteristics of lead selenium (PbSe) doped with gallium (Ga) are investigated in this study. When the lead sulfide (PbSe) is tuned with appropriate dopants, it exhibits satisfactory ZT values, hence making it a promising thermoelectric material. This study examines the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, and power factor of PbSe, with varying amounts of added Ga. Results indicate that incorporating Ga into PbSe improves its thermoelectric performance, with a maximum ZT value of approximately 1.2 at 873 K for the optimal doping concentration of 0.005 atomic percent. This improvement is attributed to the combined effects of increased electrical conductivity and reduced thermal conductivity. These findings suggest that Ga-doped PbSe is a promising candidate for mid-temperature thermoelectric applications.