Investigating the rich nano-microstructure of thermoelectric copper-based sulfides

Ternary and quaternary copper-based sulfides have attracted significant attention in the last few years as potential thermoelectric (TE) materials. Recent results showed the crucial role of order/disorder phenomena and interfaces on the thermoelectric properties of copper-based sulfides. We propose to investigate the nano-microstructure of Cu26V2Sn6S32 and Cu2MnGeS4 series of compounds, aiming to correlate synthesis conditions (composition, sintering time and temperature), structure, nano-microstructure and TE properties. After synthesis and laboratory characterization, the samples showing the most interesting thermoelectric properties will be studied by scanning Wide Angle X-ray Scattering on ID13, taking advantage of the available nano-focused beam (70 nm). Combined to precession electron diffraction tomography performed in-lab, we aim to reveal the internal structure of these compounds and its impact on their properties, allowing for better material understanding and conception.