MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS
Online ISSN : 1347-5320
Print ISSN : 1345-9678
ISSN-L : 1345-9678
Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Ga and Ce Double-Filled p-Type Skutterudites
Jungmin KimYuji OhishiHiroaki MutaKen Kurosaki
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2019 Volume 60 Issue 6 Pages 1078-1082

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Abstract

Among the p-type filled skutterudites, Ce single-filled (Co,Fe)Sb3 is known as a promising thermoelectric material. Here, we try to enhance the thermoelectric properties of Ce-filled (Co,Fe)Sb3 by co-filling of Ga. We synthesize the samples in the nominal compositions GaxCeFe3.5Co0.5Sb12−x/3 (x = 0.06, 0.09, 0.15, and 0.21) and examined their thermoelectric properties from room temperature to 773 K. It is confirmed that Ga can occupy not only the void site but also the Sb site, i.e., the chemical formula can be expressed as (GaVF)2x/3CeFe3.5Co0.5Sb12−x/3(GaSb)x/3, where GaVF and GaSb mean Ga in the void and Sb sites, respectively. Ga contributes to optimize the carrier concentration as well as to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. Owing to these Ga contributions, the material’s thermoelectric figure of merit zT is enhanced and reaches 0.85 in maximum at 773 K, which is obtained for the sample with x = 0.15.

Fig. 3 Temperature dependences of the (a) electrical conductivity σ, (b) Seebeck coefficient S, (c) power factor S2σ, (d) total thermal conductivity κ, (e) lattice thermal conductivity κlat (= κ − κel), and (f) zT for the bulk samples of GaxCeFe3.5Co0.5Sb12−x/3 (x = 0.06, 0.09, 0.15, and 0.21). The literature data for CeFe3.5Co0.5Sb1231) are shown for comparison. Fullsize Image
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© 2019 The Japan Institute of Metals and Materials
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