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Solubility study of Yb in n -type skutterudites Ybx Co4 Sb12 and their enhanced thermoelectric properties

  • J. Yang
  • , Q. Hao
  • , H. Wang
  • , Y. C. Lan
  • , Q. Y. He
  • , A. Minnich
  • , D. Z. Wang
  • , J. A. Harriman
  • , V. M. Varki
  • , M. S. Dresselhaus
  • , G. Chen
  • , Z. F. Ren

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The solubility of Yb in Ybx Co4 Sb12 was reported to be 0.19 in bulk skutterudites made by melting and slow cooling method. Surprisingly we increased x close to 0.5 by a special sample preparation method: ball mill and hot press. We show that a higher Yb concentration not only increases the power factor due to a higher electron concentration but also reduces the thermal conductivity k because of stronger phonon scattering. In this way, we have achieved a dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of about 1.2 at 550°C in Yb0.35 Co4 Sb12.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number115329
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume80
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 29 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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