Cu₂ZnGeSe₄ Nanocrystals: Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties

A synthetic route for producing Cu₂ZnGeSe₄ nanocrystals with narrow size distributions and controlled composition is presented. These nanocrystals were used to produce densely packed nanomaterials by hot-pressing. From the characterization of the thermoelectric properties of these nanomaterials, Cu₂ZnGeSe₄ is demonstrated to show excellent thermoelectric properties. A very preliminary adjustment of the nanocrystal composition has already resulted in a figure of merit of up to 0.55 at 450 °C