Interface engineering has been regarded as an effective strategy to improve thermoelectric (TE) performance by modulating electrical transport and enhancing phonon scattering. Herein, we develop a new interface engineering strategy in SnTe-based TE materials. We first use a one-step solvothermal method to synthesize SnTe powders decorated by Sb₂Te₃ nanoplates. After subsequent spark plasma sintering, we found that an ion-exchange reaction between the Sb₂Te₃ and SnTe matrixes happens to result in Sb doping and the formation of SnSb nanoparticles and the recrystallization of the nanograined SnTe at the grain boundaries of the SnTe matrix. Benefitting from this unique engineering, a significantly reduced lattice thermal conductivity of ∼0.64 W m^–1 K^–1 and a high zT of ∼1.08 (∼100% enhanced) at 873 K are achieved in SnTe–Sb_0.06. Such improved TE properties are attributed to the optimized carrier concentration and valence band convergence due to the Sb doping and enhanced phonon scattering by interface engineering at the grain boundaries. This work has demonstrated a facile and effective method to realize high-TE-performance SnTe via interface engineering.

中文翻译：

---

通过界面工程增强 SnTe 基材料的热电性能

界面工程被认为是通过调节电传输和增强声子散射来提高热电 (TE) 性能的有效策略。在此，我们在基于 SnTe 的 TE 材料中开发了一种新的界面工程策略。我们首先使用一步溶剂热法合成由 Sb ₂ Te ₃纳米片装饰的 SnTe 粉末。在随后的放电等离子体烧结后，我们发现 Sb ₂ Te ₃和 SnTe 基体碰巧导致 Sb 掺杂和 SnSb 纳米颗粒的形成以及纳米晶 SnTe 在 SnTe 基体的晶界处的再结晶。受益于这种独特的工程，在 SnTe-Sb _0.06中实现了~ 0.64 W m ^–1 K ^{–1 的}晶格热导率显着降低，并且在 873 K 时实现了 ~1.08（~100% 增强）的高zT。这种改进的 TE 特性归因于优化的载流子浓度和价带收敛，这是由于 Sb 掺杂和晶界界面工程增强的声子散射。这项工作展示了一种通过界面工程实现高性能 TE 性能 SnTe 的简便有效的方法。