Abstract |
p-Type (La1-zNdz)0.8Fe4-xCoxSb12 skutterudites were prepared by partial double filling with La/Nd and charge compensation by substituting Co for Fe. The skutterudite phase was successfully synthesized using encapsulated melting, quenching, annealing and hot-pressing processes, but a small amount of the marcasite phase was identified. Partial filling within the filling fraction limit did not result in the formation of the (La,Nd)Sb2 phases detected in the fully-filled La1-zNdzFe4-xCoxSb12 because that phase is generated when the La/Nd partial filling exceeds the filling fraction limit. (La0.25Nd0.75)0.8Fe4Sb12 showed the highest electrical conductivity of 2.32 × 105 S m-1 at 323 K, and (La0.75Nd0.25)0.8Fe3CoSb12 exhibited the largest Seebeck coefficient of 167 μV K-1 at 723 K. The power factors and thermal conductivities of all the specimens were in the range of 1.43-2.59 mW m-1 K-2 and 2.05-3.95 W m-1 K-1, respectively, in the temperature range of 323-823 K. (La0.25Nd0.75)0.8Fe3CoSb12 showed the highest power factor of 2.59 mW m-1 K-2 at 823 K and the lowest thermal conductivity of 2.05 W m-1 K-1 at 323 K. Thus, (La0.25Nd0.75)0.8Fe3CoSb12 exhibited a maximum dimensionless figure of merit (ZTmax) of 0.76 at 723 K.
(Received April 4, 2019; Accepted April 24, 2019) |
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Key Words |
thermoelectric, skutterudite, partial double filling, charge compensation |
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