Anisotropic thermoelectric transport properties in polycrystalline SnSe_(2)

It is reported that SnSe_(2) consisting of the same elements as SnSe, is a new promising thermoelectric material with advantageous layered structure. In this work, the thermoelectric performance of polycrystalline SnSe_(2) is improved through introducing SnSe phase and electron doping(Cl doped in Se sites). The anisotropic transport properties of SnSe_(2) are investigated. A great reduction of the thermal conductivity is achieved in SnSe_(2) through introducing SnSe phase, which mainly results from the strong SnSe_(2)–SnSe inter-phase scattering. Then the carrier concentration is optimized via Cl doping, leading to a great enhancement of the electrical transport properties, thus an extraordinary power factor of ^5.12 μW·cm^(-1)·K^(-2) is achieved along the direction parallel to the spark plasma sintering(SPS) pressure direction( P). Through the comprehensive consideration on the anisotropic thermoelectric transport properties, an enhanced figure of merit ZT is attained and reaches to ^ 0.6 at 773 K in SnSe_(2)-2% SnSe after 5% Cl doping along the P direction, which is much higher than ^ 0.13 and ^ 0.09 obtained in SnSe_(2)-2% SnSe and pristine SnSe_(2) samples, respectively.