Glass-like thermal transport in AgSbTe2: nano-scale insights to improve thermoelectric efficiency

A combination of neutron scattering and microscopy is used to reveal that a spontaneously forming nanostructure is gives rise to the extremely low glass-like thermal conductivity of AgSbTe₂. AgSbTe₂ has long been known to have an extremely low thermal conductivity, even in crystalline form, which enables high-performance thermoelectric modules that can be used for recovery of waste heat.  Inelastic neutron scattering measurements were performed at both SNS and HFIR and electron microscopy work was performed at MIT.

J. Ma, O. Delaire, A. F. May, C. E. Carlton, M. A. McGuire, L. H. VanBebber, D. L. Abernathy, G. Ehlers, T. Hong, A. Huq, W. Tian, V. M. Keppens, Y. Shao-Horn, and B. C. Sales, Nature Nanotechnology, 8, 445 (2013).