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Thermoelectric and structural properties of high-performance In-based skutterudites for high-temperature energy recovery

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Abstract

The temperature-dependent thermoelectric (TE) and structural properties of n-type filled skutterudites were measured from 300–625 K. In0.2Co4Sb12, and In0.2Ce0.05Yb0.1Co4Sb12 exhibited figure of merit (ZT) values as high as 1.2 at 625 K and In0.2Ce0.15Co4Sb12 showed ZT values of ∼1.4 at 625 K. The room temperature Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and coefficient of thermal expansion (at 298–673 K) of In0.2Ce0.15Co4Sb12, In0.2Co4Sb12, and In0.2Ce0.05Yb0.1Co4Sb12 compositions were found to be lower than that for the unfilled Co4Sb12 skutterudite material. It was discovered that thermal cycling of n-type In0.15Ce0.1Co4Sb12 and In0.2Ce0.17Co4Sb12 materials from 323–673 K (200 cycles) actually increased their power factors by 13.6–36% at 510–525 K without appreciably changing the Young’s modulus or the Poisson’s ratio. The transport and structural properties characterized in this work are critical to transitioning these materials into operating TE devices and systems.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors sincerely thank the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Vehicle Technology (OVT), Jerry Gibbs, Propulsion Materials Technology Manager, DOE-OVT, and John Fairbanks, Thermoelectric Technology Manager, DOE-OVT, for their support of this research and development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA

    Krishnendu Biswas & M.A. Subramanian

  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, 99352, USA

    Morris S. Good & Kamandi C. Roberts

  3. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, MicroProducts Breakthrough Institute, Corvallis, Oregon, 97330, USA

    Terry J. Hendricks

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  1. Krishnendu Biswas
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  2. Morris S. Good
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  3. Kamandi C. Roberts
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  4. M.A. Subramanian
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  5. Terry J. Hendricks
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Correspondence to Terry J. Hendricks.

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Biswas, K., Good, M.S., Roberts, K.C. et al. Thermoelectric and structural properties of high-performance In-based skutterudites for high-temperature energy recovery. Journal of Materials Research 26, 1827–1835 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.163

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