{"PlanS_conform":"1","publisher":"Tsinghua University Press","oa_version":"Published Version","year":"2025","has_accepted_license":"1","publication":"Nano Research","type":"journal_article","doi":"10.26599/nr.2025.94907072","article_processing_charge":"Yes (in subscription journal)","intvolume":"        18","user_id":"2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87","author":[{"full_name":"Xiao, Shanshan","last_name":"Xiao","first_name":"Shanshan"},{"full_name":"Zhao, Mingjun","last_name":"Zhao","first_name":"Mingjun"},{"first_name":"Mingquan","last_name":"Li","full_name":"Li, Mingquan"},{"full_name":"Wan, Shanhong","last_name":"Wan","first_name":"Shanhong"},{"last_name":"Genç","first_name":"Aziz","full_name":"Genç, Aziz"},{"first_name":"Lulu","last_name":"Huang","full_name":"Huang, Lulu"},{"first_name":"Lei","last_name":"Chen","full_name":"Chen, Lei"},{"last_name":"Zhang","first_name":"Yu","full_name":"Zhang, Yu"},{"last_name":"Ibáñez","first_name":"Maria","id":"43C61214-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87","orcid":"0000-0001-5013-2843","full_name":"Ibáñez, Maria"},{"full_name":"Lim, Khak Ho","last_name":"Lim","first_name":"Khak Ho"},{"first_name":"Min","last_name":"Hong","full_name":"Hong, Min"},{"first_name":"Yu","last_name":"Liu","full_name":"Liu, Yu"},{"last_name":"Cabot","first_name":"Andreu","full_name":"Cabot, Andreu"}],"day":"01","publication_status":"published","article_type":"original","publication_identifier":{"eissn":["1998-0000"],"issn":["1998-0124"]},"date_created":"2026-02-18T10:45:06Z","department":[{"_id":"MaIb"}],"volume":18,"date_updated":"2026-02-19T07:32:22Z","OA_place":"publisher","OA_type":"hybrid","abstract":[{"text":"The development of cost-effective and high-performance thermoelectric (TE) materials faces significant challenges, particularly in improving the properties of promising copper-based TE materials such as Cu3SbSe4, which are limited by their poor electrical conductivity. This study presents a detailed comparative analysis of three strategies to promote the electrical transport properties of Cu3SbSe4 through Sn doping: conventional Sn atomic doping, surface treatment with SnSe molecular complexes, and blending with SnSe nanocrystals to form nanocomposites, all followed by annealing and hot pressing under identical conditions. Our results reveal that a surface treatment using SnSe molecular complexes significantly enhances TE performance over atomic doping and nanocomposite formation, achieving a power factor of 1.1 mW·m−1·K−2 and a maximum dimensionless figure of merit zT value of 0.80 at 640 K, representing an excellent performance among Cu3SbSe4-based materials produced via solution-processing methods. This work highlights the effectiveness of surface engineering in optimizing the transport properties of nanostructured materials, demonstrating the versatility and cost-efficiency of solution-based technologies in the development of advanced nanostructured materials for application in the field of TE among others.","lang":"eng"}],"acknowledgement":"Y. L. acknowledges funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22209034), the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project of Overseas Returnees in Anhui Province (No. 2022LCX002), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. JZ2024HGTB0239). K. H. L. acknowledges financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 22208293). M. I. acknowledge financial support from ISTA and the Werner Siemens Foundation. M. H. acknowledges funding from Australian Research Council (No. FT230100316). L. L. H. and S. H. W. acknowledge the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Nos. JZ2023HGTA0179 and JZ2024HGTA0170).","status":"public","date_published":"2025-01-01T00:00:00Z","file_date_updated":"2026-02-19T07:31:15Z","oa":1,"language":[{"iso":"eng"}],"month":"01","title":"Band and defect engineering in solution-processed nanocrystal building blocks to promote transport properties in nanomaterials: The case of thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>","_id":"21321","ddc":["540"],"tmp":{"name":"Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)","image":"/images/cc_by.png","short":"CC BY (4.0)","legal_code_url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode"},"project":[{"_id":"9B8F7476-BA93-11EA-9121-9846C619BF3A","name":"HighTE: The Werner Siemens Laboratory for the High Throughput Discovery of Semiconductors for Waste Heat Recovery"}],"issue":"1","article_number":"94907072","file":[{"access_level":"open_access","creator":"dernst","success":1,"file_name":"2025_NanoResearch_Xiao.pdf","file_id":"21330","date_updated":"2026-02-19T07:31:15Z","date_created":"2026-02-19T07:31:15Z","content_type":"application/pdf","checksum":"aa531f1363538fece12ecfad83456b65","file_size":27740524,"relation":"main_file"}],"citation":{"apa":"Xiao, S., Zhao, M., Li, M., Wan, S., Genç, A., Huang, L., … Cabot, A. (2025). Band and defect engineering in solution-processed nanocrystal building blocks to promote transport properties in nanomaterials: The case of thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>. <i>Nano Research</i>. Tsinghua University Press. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.26599/nr.2025.94907072\">https://doi.org/10.26599/nr.2025.94907072</a>","ista":"Xiao S, Zhao M, Li M, Wan S, Genç A, Huang L, Chen L, Zhang Y, Ibáñez M, Lim KH, Hong M, Liu Y, Cabot A. 2025. Band and defect engineering in solution-processed nanocrystal building blocks to promote transport properties in nanomaterials: The case of thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>. Nano Research. 18(1), 94907072.","ieee":"S. Xiao <i>et al.</i>, “Band and defect engineering in solution-processed nanocrystal building blocks to promote transport properties in nanomaterials: The case of thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>,” <i>Nano Research</i>, vol. 18, no. 1. Tsinghua University Press, 2025.","ama":"Xiao S, Zhao M, Li M, et al. Band and defect engineering in solution-processed nanocrystal building blocks to promote transport properties in nanomaterials: The case of thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>. <i>Nano Research</i>. 2025;18(1). doi:<a href=\"https://doi.org/10.26599/nr.2025.94907072\">10.26599/nr.2025.94907072</a>","short":"S. Xiao, M. Zhao, M. Li, S. Wan, A. Genç, L. Huang, L. Chen, Y. Zhang, M. Ibáñez, K.H. Lim, M. Hong, Y. Liu, A. Cabot, Nano Research 18 (2025).","chicago":"Xiao, Shanshan, Mingjun Zhao, Mingquan Li, Shanhong Wan, Aziz Genç, Lulu Huang, Lei Chen, et al. “Band and Defect Engineering in Solution-Processed Nanocrystal Building Blocks to Promote Transport Properties in Nanomaterials: The Case of Thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>.” <i>Nano Research</i>. Tsinghua University Press, 2025. <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.26599/nr.2025.94907072\">https://doi.org/10.26599/nr.2025.94907072</a>.","mla":"Xiao, Shanshan, et al. “Band and Defect Engineering in Solution-Processed Nanocrystal Building Blocks to Promote Transport Properties in Nanomaterials: The Case of Thermoelectric Cu            <sub>3</sub>SbSe            <sub>4</sub>.” <i>Nano Research</i>, vol. 18, no. 1, 94907072, Tsinghua University Press, 2025, doi:<a href=\"https://doi.org/10.26599/nr.2025.94907072\">10.26599/nr.2025.94907072</a>."}}