Phase-Transition-Dependent Conductivity and Thermoelectric Property of Silver Telluride Nanowires

Silver telluride nanowires have been synthesized by the composite-hydroxide-mediated (CHM) method at temperatures of 180−225 °C. The products were single-crystalline nanowires and monoclinic phase Ag 2 Te with a high purity. The reversible structural phase transition from monoclinic structure (β-Ag 2 Te) to face-centered cubic structure (α-Ag 2 Te) around 148/133 °C was observed during the heating/cooling process. The latent heat of the phase transition was calculated. The electrical resistance and thermal emf versus temperature were for the first time investigated on the Ag 2 Te nanowires. Abrupt changes of conductivity and Seebeck coefficient around the phase transition temperature were observed. The maximum Seebeck coefficient is ∼170 and ∼160 μV K −1 during the heating and cooling process, respectively, indicating a promising one-dimensional thermoelectric material as a building block to construct nanodevices.