Temperature-dependent elastic moduli of lead telluride-based thermoelectric materials

Abstract

This study provides the first measurements of the temperature dependence of Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio for Ag-, Sb-, Sn-, and S- doped PbTe thermoelectric materials between room temperature and 723 K. Specimens cut from both cast ingots and hot pressed billets were included in the study. A critical potential application of these materials is as thermoelectric generators, producing electrical energy from waste heat. Knowledge of the elastic moduli as a function of temperature is essential for the design of thermoelectric generators since both analytical and Finite Element stress calculations require knowledge of the temperature-dependence of these properties.