Thermoelectric properties of CexNdyCo4Sb12 skutterudites

Abstract

Experimental results of studying the thermoelectric properties of Co₄Sb₁₂, Ce_0.1Nd_0.5Co₄Sb₁₂, and Ce_0.5Nd_0.1Co₄Sb₁₂ prepared by induction melting are presented. The thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of the studied Co₄Sb₁₂ is approximately two times higher than ZT of unfilled skutterudites prepared by the conventional solid-phase synthesis method. The figure of merit of Ce_0.1Nd_0.5Co₄Sb₁₂ and Ce_0.5Nd_0.1Co₄Sb₁₂ appears lower than ZT of Co₄Sb₁₂ due to the presence of an impurity phase of metal antimony in the first two samples. It is assumed that the thermoelectric properties of filled skutterudites can be significantly improved by optimizing the induction melting method.