Low-Temperature Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of n-Type PbTe

n-Type PbTe compounds were synthesized at temperatures as low as 430°C. After synthesis, the materials were ground, cold pressed, and sintered at 600°C. The effect of this low-temperature synthesis on the structural features and thermoelectric properties of as-prepared and PbI₂-doped materials was investigated for the first time. The Seebeck coefficient, and electrical and thermal conductivity were measured in the temperature range 2 K ≤ T ≤  610 K. The results show that all materials exhibit n-type conduction and the thermoelectric properties are improved by doping. ZT values reach 0.5 at 610 K, and the discrepancies with the literature are discussed.