A T-type method for characterization of the thermoelectric performance of an individual free-standing single crystal Bi2S3 nanowire

Abstract

A comprehensive method to evaluate the thermoelectric performance of one-dimensional nanostructures, called the T-type method, has been first developed. The thermoelectric properties, including the Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, of an individual free-standing single crystal Bi₂S₃ nanowire have been first characterized by applying the T-type method. The determined figure of merit is far less than the reported values of nanostructured bulk Bi₂S₃ samples, and the mechanism is that the Seebeck coefficient is nearly zero in the temperature range of 300–420 K and changes its sign at 320 K.