Thermoelectric properties of indium filled and germanium doped Co4Sb12 skutterudites

In-filled and Ge-doped Co4Sb12 skutterudites materials were synthesized by an induction melting process which was followed by annealing at 650 degrees C for 7 days. A structural, compositional, and morphological study was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron probe micro analysis (EPMA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The formation of a single skutterudite phase (delta-CoSb3) was confirmed by XRD and the composition of all the samples was verified by EPMA. The homogeneity and morphology of the samples was observed by potential Seebeck microprobe (PSM) and SEM, respectively. The PSM result confirmed the inhomogeneity of the samples. The temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity were measured in the temperature range of 300-650 K. The samples of In0.16Co4Sb12-xGex (x = 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2) show a negative Seebeck coefficient confirming an n-type conductivity and the In0.16Co4Sb11.7Ge0.3 sample shows a positive Seebeck coefficient confirming a p-type conductivity. There was a change in the Seebeck coefficient from an n-type to a p-type at the doping concentration of x = 0.3 due to the excess Ge which increases in hole carrier concentration. Electrical conductivity decreases with an increase in Ge doping concentrations and with increases in temperature due to the bipolar effect. Thermal conductivity increases with an increase in carrier concentration and decreases when the temperature is increased. The highest ZT = 0.58 was achieved by In0.16Co4 Sb11.95Ge0.05 at 673K and In-filled and Ge-doped Co4Sb12 was not effective in improving the figure of merit. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3677982]