Enhancing thermoelectric performances of indium oxide through silicon incorporation

• Si doping significantly improves the electrical properties of indium oxide. • Si doping effectively suppressed the heat conduction. • Si doping increased the thermoelectric value ( ZT value) of the material. • The proposed doping method is simple and efficient for indium oxide. Herein, the modification of indium oxide thermoelectric materials was carried out to investigate the effect of Si doping on the thermoelectric properties of In 2 O 3 . By precisely controlling the doping concentration of Si, a series of Si-doped In 2 O 3 have been successfully prepared, and the thermoelectric properties have been systematically studied. The experimental results indicate that appropriate Si doping content can optimize the band structure and carrier concentration, significantly increase the electrical conductivity and power factor of In 2 O 3 , and effectively reduce the thermal conductivity, increase the thermoelectric value ( ZT value) of the material with the highest value of ∼0.316 (973 K). In addition, Si doping could enhance the Vickers hardness of the material and improve the mechanical properties of the material. This study not only provides a new idea for optimizing the performances of indium oxide thermoelectric materials, but also provides a valuable reference for the development and application of thermoelectric materials.