Thermoelectric　materials　have　drawn　great　attention　due　to　their　ability　to　convert　heat　directly　into　electricity　and　vice　versa.　However,　practical　applications　of　thermoelectric　materials　have　been　limited　by　their　high　cost,　low　efficiency,　and　poor　mechanical　property.　To　address　this　issue,　we　fabricate　NiCu/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3　thermoelectric　composites　via　a　facile　electroless　plating　method　and　spark　plasma　sintering,　which　successfully　achieve　an　enhanced　peak　figure　of　merit,　zT,　of　similar　to　1.16　at　425　K　for　0.3　wt.%　Ni-0.15　wt.%　Cu/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3　composites　with　high　average　zT　of　0.95　in　the　wide　temperature　range　between　300　and　527　K.　Through　detailed　structural　characterization,　we　found　that　the　plated　Cu　can　be　doped　into　BST　matrix　and　partial　Cu/Ni　can　react　with　the　matrix　to　form　nanoinclusions,　which　can　decouple　the　interdependent　electrical　and　thermal　transport　properties,　enabling　us　to　achieve　synergistic　enhancement　of　zT.　This　study　provides　a　cheap,　simple,　fast　and　effective　way　to　improve　the　thermoelectric　of　Bi2Te3-based　alloys　for　high-performance　thermoelectric　power　harvesting　and　refrigeration.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.