Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocomposite Chalcogenides

Recent results on thermoelectric properties of superlattice and nano-scale materials have energized the search for high-performance thermoelectric materials. Thermoelectric technology requires materials in large quantities therefore new approaches are needed to incorporate nano-scale enhancement into bulk materials. We present a technique to synthesize dense bulk nanocomposites reproducibly, and investigate their structural and transport properties. Transport properties demonstrate a strong dependence on porosity, highlighting the necessity of dense nanocomposites for thermoelectric applications.