Room-Temperature Electrical Coupling of PbS Colloidal Quantum Dots for High-Performance N-Type Thin-Film Thermoelectrics.

ABSTRACT: Colloidal quantum dot (QD) films inherently exhibit a high Seebeck coefficient (α) and low thermal conductivity (κ), making them attractive for thermoelectric (TE) applications. However, achieving high electrical conductivity (σ) while preserving these advantages remains challenging due to limited interdot coupling and high-temperature treatments that compromise interdependent TE parameters. Herein, room-temperature inter-dot bridging of individual PbS QDs is demonstrated, leading to unprecedented electronic tunability and significant improvements in the n-type TE figure of merit (ZT). By tailoring the hydride concentration, gradual removal of surface ligands is induced, resulting in strengthened electrical coupling, structural ordering, and n-type doping of QD films. Consequently, σ is pr

SUBMITTER: Song JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12802545 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature