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Preparation and electrical transport properties of In filled and Te-doped CoSb3 skutterudite

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Abstract

Nanopowders with nominal compositions of Co4Sb11.5Te0.5 and In0.5Co4Sb11.5Te0.5 were prepared via hydrothermal synthesis at 180 °C for 48 h, then heat treated and finally hot pressed at 625 °C and 80 MPa for 1 h in vacuum to form bulk samples. The phase compositions of the samples were determined by X-ray diffraction. Hall Effect measurement of the samples was carried out at room temperature. The fracture surface of the samples was observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of the samples were measured from room temperature to around 748 K. The In-filled and Te-doped CoSb3 sample with longer time annealing before hot pressing had much better electrical transport properties with the highest power factor of 38.4 μWcm−1 K−2 around 573 K.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (50872095, 51271133), Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education of China, and the foundation of the State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology.

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Author notes

  1. Z. Qin

    Present address: Department of Material Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

  2. Y. Du

    Present address: Australian Future Fibres Research and Innovation Centre, Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Functional Materials Research Laboratory, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Z. Qin, K. F. Cai, S. Chen & Y. Du

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  1. Z. Qin
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  2. K. F. Cai
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  3. S. Chen
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Correspondence to K. F. Cai.

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Qin, Z., Cai, K.F., Chen, S. et al. Preparation and electrical transport properties of In filled and Te-doped CoSb3 skutterudite. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 24, 4142–4147 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-013-1373-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-013-1373-1

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