Theoretical and experimental evaluation of thermoelectric performance of alkaline earth filled skutterudite compounds

Publication date: Available online 18 January 2020Source: Journal of Solid State ChemistryAuthor(s): Övgü Ceyda Yelgel, Sedat BallikayaAbstractSkutterudite compounds are one of the most promising thermoelectric materials that can be used for intermediate power generation applications because of their excellent thermoelectric and mechanical properties. In spite of extensive research efforts during the past two decades, there is still a lack of full understanding of the electronic and thermal transport in these compounds. In the present study, we carry out a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the electronic and thermal transport properties of alkaline earth-filled (Ca,Sr,Ba)0.2Co4Sb12 skutterudites in the temperature range from 300 K to 800 K. The experimental work includes structural properties probed by PXRD and EMPA for phase purity and composition analysis. Theoretical values of the temperature dependent electronic transport parameters were determined using the nearly-free electron approximation, and various phonon thermal conductivity contributions were studied using the Debye isotropic continuum model and the theory of Price for the bipolar contribution. The theoretical and experimental transport parameters were found in good agreement with each other. They confirm that both Ba and Sr filled skutterudites are highly degenerate semiconductors, while the heat transport in the Ca filled compound is dominated by the bipolar contribution at temperatur...
Source: Journal of Solid State Chemistry - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research
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