The Journal of
the Korean Journal of Metals and Materials

The Journal of
the Korean Journal of Metals and Materials

Monthly
  • pISSN : 1738-8228
  • eISSN : 2288-8241

Editorial Office

Title Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of Partially Double-Filled Skutterudites (La1-zYbz)0.8Fe4-xCoxSb12
Authors (Ye-eun Cha); (Il-ho Kim)
DOI https://doi.org/10.3365/KJMM.2019.57.12.801
Page pp.801-807
ISSN 1738-8228(ISSN), 2288-8241(eISSN)
Keywords thermoelectric; skutterudite; partial double filling; charge compensation
Abstract Partially double-filled skutterudites were prepared via encapsulated melting and hot pressing processes. The skutterudite phase was successfully synthesized through partial double filling of La/Yb and substitution of Co. A small quantity of secondary phase (marcasite FeSb2) was formed, but its formation was suppressed by increasing Co charge compensation. The marcasite phase was detected in all specimens, which was because charge compensation was not sufficiently performed owing to the partial filling with low valence ions of La3+ and Yb2+/3+. Hot-pressed specimens showed relative densities higher than 97.4% compared to the theoretical density. The calculated lattice constant ranged from 0.9129 to 0.9142 nm. As the contents of La and Co increased, the lattice constants decreased; thus, the filling and substitution were confirmed. The electrical conductivity decreased and the Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing La filling and Co substitution. The thermal conductivity significantly decreased with increasing Co substitution, and was further slightly lowered with increasing La filling. (La0.75Yb0.25)0.8Fe3CoSb12 yielded a maximum Seebeck coefficient of 168.2 μVK-1 at 823 K, a maximum power factor of 2.67 mWm-1K-2 at 723 K, and the lowest thermal conductivity of 2.09 Wm-1K-1 at 323 K. As a result, (La0.75Yb0.25)0.8Fe3CoSb12 exhibited the highest dimensionless figure of merit, ZT = 0.66 at 823 K.(Received September 16, 2019; Accepted October 21, 2019)