Enhanced thermoelectric properties of Co1-x-yNix＋ySb3-xSnx materials

• Published in: International journal of minerals, metallurgy and materials metallurgy and materials, 2012-03, Vol.19 (3), p.240-244
• Main Authors: Liu, Hong-quan, Zhang, Sheng-nan, Zhu, Tie-jun, Zhao, Xin-bing, Gu, Yi-jie, Cui, Hong-zhi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloying; Alloying effects; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Corrosion and Coatings; Doping; Electrical conductivity; Electrical resistivity; Figure of merit; Glass; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Natural Materials; Nickel; Polycrystals; Power factor; Resistivity; skutterudite; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thermoelectricity; Thin Films; Tribology; Vacuum melting; 功率因数; 合金化; 材料; 热压烧结; 热电性能; 真空熔炼; 镍掺杂
• ISSN: 1674-4799; 1869-103X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12613-012-0545-y

Co1-x-yNix＋ySb3-xSnx polycrystals were fabricated by vacuum melting combined with hot-press sintering. The effect of alloying on the thermoelectric properties of unfilled skutterudite CO1-xNixSb3-xSnx was investigated. A leap of electrical conductivity from the Co0.93Ni0.07Sb2.93Sn0.07 sample to the Co0.88Ni0.12Sb288Sn0.12 sample occurs during the measurement of electrical conductivity, indicating the adjustment of band structure by proper alloying. The results show that alloying enhances the power factor of the materials. On the basis of alloying, the thermoelectric properties of Coo.88Nio.12Sb2.ssSno.12 are improved by Ni-doping. The thermal conductivities of Ni-doping samples have no reduction, but their power factors have obvious enhancement. The power factor of Co0.81Ni0.09Sb2.88Sn0.12 reaches 3.0 mW-m-1·K-2 by Ni doping. The dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit reaches 0.55 at 773 K for the unfilled Co0.81Ni0.19 Sb2.88Sn0.12,