Nanostructure-Induced Thermoelectric Enhancement in Bi₂Te₃ Nanorods Design, Analysis, and Performance Evaluation

Year : 2026 | Volume : 04 | Issue : 01 | Page : 34 44
By

Anish Kumar,

  1. , Department of Mechanical engineering, BIT, Sindri, , India

Abstract

Thermoelectric materials capable of efficient energy conversion near room temperature are critical for waste heat recovery applications. In this work, solution-grown Bi₂Te₃ nanorods were synthesized via a trioctylphosphine-assisted thermal decomposition route, and the influence of surfactant-induced nanostructuring on their thermoelectric properties was systematically investigated. Structural analysis using X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement confirmed the formation of rhombohedral Bi₂Te₃ with the emergence of Bi₂Te₃–BiTe nanocomposites at higher surfactant concentrations. Electron microscopy revealed one-dimensional nanorods with crystallite sizes tunable down to ~40 nm. Raman spectroscopy showed the appearance of IR-active A₁u modes, indicating a ligand-induced breakdown of inversion symmetry due to the formation of sub-quintuple layers along the nanorod axis. Thermoelectric measurements demonstrated n-type conduction with a significant enhancement in Seebeck coefficient attributed to carrier energy filtering at grain boundaries and quantum confinement effects. An optimized surfactant concentration yielded a maximum power factor of 348.7 μW m⁻¹ K⁻² at 300 K, exceeding values reported for comparable solution-processed Bi₂Te₃ systems. The combined effects of reduced crystallite size, controlled barrier height, and nanocomposite formation establish surfactant-engineered Bi₂Te₃ nanorods as promising candidates for high-performance near-room-temperature thermoelectric applications.

Keywords: Thermoelectric materials, Bi₂Te₃ nanorods, Solution growth, Energy filtering, Nanocomposites.

[This article belongs to International Journal of Energy and Thermal Applications ]

How to cite this article: Anish Kumar. Nanostructure-Induced Thermoelectric Enhancement in Bi₂Te₃ Nanorods Design, Analysis, and Performance Evaluation. International Journal of Energy and Thermal Applications. 2026; 04(01):34-44.
How to cite this URL: Anish Kumar. Nanostructure-Induced Thermoelectric Enhancement in Bi₂Te₃ Nanorods Design, Analysis, and Performance Evaluation. International Journal of Energy and Thermal Applications. 2026; 04(01):34-44. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijeta/article=2026/view=238794

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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 04
Issue 01
Received 23/02/2026
Accepted 07/03/2026
Published 25/03/2026
Publication Time 30 Days

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