(Invited) Thermoelectric Properties of CuInX₂ (x=S,Se,Te) Doped with Ni and Cd

Thermoelectric materials are a promising way to reduce waste through heat loss. One group of materials with interesting properties in CuInX₂ with X being a chalcogenide such as sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. Some ways to dope these materials, would be to reduce the electron density with Cd²⁺ at the In³⁺ site, or increase the electron density with Ni³⁺ at the Cu²⁺ site. CuInS₂, CuInSe₂, CuInTe₂ with 0-5% of Cd or Ni doping where cast using a rocking horse furnace, milled and hot pressed to pellets at 630°C for an hour. The pellets were characterized using XRD, SEM and DSC to find additional phases. Finely the samples were cut and measured for their thermoelectric properties using LFA and LSR. The most interesting samples were also tested using high temperature hall apparatus. The thermoelectric behavior of each compound was analyzed for Seebeck, resistivity and thermal conductivity and finely calculating ZT and will be presented.