Abstract
p-Type Ce z Fe4_x Ni x Sb12 (0.8 ≤ z ≤ 1.0 and 0.25 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) skutterudites were prepared, and the effects of Ce filling and Ni substitution on their transport and thermoelectric properties were examined. x-ray diffraction and microstructural analysis revealed successful formation of the skutterudite phase, but a small amount of the secondary phase (FeSb2) was also produced. However, the secondary phase was removed upon increasing Ce and Ni contents. All specimens had positive Hall coefficients and Seebeck coefficients, and the carrier concentrations ranged from 7.17 × 1020 cm_3 to 1.29 × 1021 cm_3. The electrical and thermal conductivities decreased while the Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing Ce and Ni contents due to the decreased carrier concentration. Ce0.8Fe3.5Ni0.5Sb12 achieved a maximum dimensionless figure-of-merit of ZT = 0.77 at 723 K due to the high power factor of 2.6 mW m_1 K_2 and the low thermal conductivity of 2.4 W m_1 K_1.
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This study was supported by the Civil-Military Technology Cooperation Program, Republic of Korea.
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Lee, WM., Shin, DK. & Kim, IH. Thermoelectric and Transport Properties of Ce z Fe4_x Ni x Sb12 Skutterudites. J. Electron. Mater. 45, 1245–1250 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-015-3976-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-015-3976-1