Thermoelectric analysis of (Bi_0.98In_0.02)₂Te_2.7Se_0.3/polyaniline and (Bi_0.98In_0.02)₂Se_2.7Te_0.3/polyaniline composites

The present study examines the thermoelectric (TE) properties of Polyaniline (PANI) in (Bi_0.98In_0.02)₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 (BIT) and (Bi_0.98In_0.02)₂Se_2.7Te_0.3 (BIS), compounds created using solid-state reaction in the temperature interval 10 to 350 K. The XRD study reveals hexagonal crystal structure with a space group of R3 - m . The composite samples have grains that resemble hair like structure because size of the grains above the surfaces has expanded irregularly, and selenium has been shown to concentrate at the grain borders. Electrical resistivity in BIS/PANI has found decreased by 6 times compared to BIT/PANI. The decrease in overall thermal conductivity is strongly influenced by the interface scattering effect of PANI composites and the BIT/BIS grain boundaries. The thermal conductivity of pure BIT is found to decrease by 1.5 and 1.4 times, respectively, than that of BIT/PANI and BIS/PANI. In comparison to pure BIT and BIS samples, the ZT value of BIT/PANI has been raised by a factor of 20.