Thermoelectric properties of (Zn1-xCdx)4Sb3 below room temperature

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2004-09, Vol.377 (1-2), p.59-65
• Main Authors: NAKAMOTO, Go, SOUMA, Takeshi, YAMABA, Masasuke, KURISU, Makio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Conductivity phenomena in semiconductors and insulators; Electronic transport in condensed matter; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Thermoelectric and thermomagnetic effects
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2004.01.054

Zn4Sb3 is known to have three structural phase modifications. Among these, only the structural and physical properties of the beta-phase have been investigated. Ugai et al. have investigated the effect of Cd substitution on the physical properties of the Zn-Cd-Sb system at room temperature and concluded that Zn4Sb3 and Cd4Sb3 form solid solution in the whole range of Cd content, and that this system is characterized by a high Seebeck coefficient. We have investigated the thermoelectric and structural properties of (Zn1-xCdx)4Sb3 compounds below 300 K. The electrical resistivity in the compounds is found to increase with increasing Cd concentration and to have a lower value below the (3 to a structural phase transition temperature. The Seebeck coefficient also increases with increasing Cd content. However, the anomaly at the transition is suppressed. The (3 to a structural transition temperature is almost independent of the Cd content. As a result, the power factor at 300 K takes a maximum of 6 x 10-6 Wcm-1 K-2 at a Cd content of 0.2 and the discontinuity in the thermoelectric performance at the structural transition temperature is weakened by the Cd substitution.