Bi2Te3-MWCNT nanocomposite: An efficient thermoelectric material

Bi2Te3–MWCNT nanocomposite has been synthesized by hydrothermal technique and demonstrate the role of MWCNT for thermoelectric properties. Herein, MWCNT has been used as conducting filler, which leads to the enhancement in the electrical conductivity in the case of nanocomposite. Bi2Te3–MWCNT nanocomposite shows ~22% decrease in the thermal conductivity as compared to Bi2Te3 nanostructures, which is attributed to the enhanced phonon scattering at the interfaces of Bi2Te3–MWCNT nanocomposite. Due to the increase in the electrical conductivity and decrease in the thermal conductivity, the overall enhancement in the figure of merit is ~45% in Bi2Te3–MWCNT nanocomposite as compared to Bi2Te3 nanostructures.