Thermoelectric properties of gold telluride: AuTe2

Polycrystalline bulk samples of gold telluride, AuTe2, were prepared and the thermoelectric (TE) properties were measured in the temperature range from room temperature to 600 K. The electrical resistivity (rho) was relatively low (4.07 x 10(-6) Omega m at room temperature) and increased slightly with increasing temperature. The Seebeck coefficient (S) was negative and the absolute values were below 50 mu VK-1. The thermal conductivity (kappa) was 2.64W m(-1) K-1 at room temperature, and slightly increased with temperature. The maximum value of the dimensionless figure of merit ZT (=(ST)-T-2/rho/kappa) was 0.09, obtained at around 450 K. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.