Reversible Room Temperature Brittle-Plastic Transition in Ag2Te0.6S0.4 Inorganic Thermoelectric Semiconductor

Inorganic semiconductors with superior plasticity are highly desired in current flexible electronics, which however are rarely discovered owing to their intrinsic covalent and ionic bonds. The Ag2Te0.6S0.4 semiconductor with an amorphous phase has recently been reported to exhibit plastic deformability. In this study, the reversible brittle-plastic transition is found in this inorganic semiconductor, and the plasticity of the Ag2Te0.6S0.4 sample is highly related to the phase structures. The Ag2Te0.6S0.4 with a monoclinic phase exhibits a brittle behavior, while the one with cubic-crystalline/amorphous structure shows exceptional plasticity with a compressive strain of over 80%. Significantly, the reversible plastic-brittle transition in Ag2Te0.6S0.4 inorganic semiconductor can be achieved by simple heat treatment. Besides the plasticity, the cubic-crystalline/amorphous Ag2Te0.6S0.4 composites also possess good thermoelectric performance. This study uncovers the influence of phase structure on the mechanical properties of Ag2Te0.6S0.4 and realizes the reversible brittle-plastic transition, facilitating its prospective application in flexible/wearable electronics.

Automated summary

This study uncovers the reversible brittle-plastic transition in the inorganic semiconductor Ag2Te0.6S0.4 and its relation to phase structures. The monoclinic phase of Ag2Te0.6S0.4 exhibits brittleness, while the cubic-crystalline/amorphous structure shows exceptional plasticity with a compressive strain of over 80%. Additionally, the cubic-crystalline/amorphous Ag2Te0.6S0.4 composites possess good thermoelectric performance. This research reveals the influence of phase structure on the mechanical properties of Ag2Te0.6S0.4 and opens up possibilities for its application in flexible/wearable electronics.