Thermoelectric performance of polycrystalline Sn1-xCuxSe (x = 0-0.03) prepared by high pressure method

P-type Sn1-xCuxSe (x = 0-0.03) polycrystal was prepared through melting synthesis and high pressure (6.0 GPa) sintering (HPS) method. The composition and microstructure of the samples was analyzed, and the thermoelectric transport properties were investigated in the temperature range of 303 K-823 K. The results indicate that the electrical conductivity increases as Cu content increases. An observable improvement is found for the Seebeck coefficient when x is 0.01. In addition, the total thermal conductivities (κtot) of all samples decrease with rising temperature, and reach its minimum values at 773 K. As a result, the maximum power factor (PF) and ZTmax value are 378 μW m−1 K−2 and 0.79 for Sn0.97Cu0.03Se at 823 K, respectively.