Features of Structural, Electrokinetic and Energy State Characteristics of V x+yCo1-ySb3 Skutterudite

Abstract

The structure characteristics, temperature and concentration dependences of the electrical resistivity and the thermopower coefficient for the Vx+yCo1-ySb3 skutterudite were investigated in the ranges: T = 80 - 400 K, x = 0.02 - 0.20. It was shown that the introduction of V atoms into the structure of CoSb3 thermoelectric material was accompanied by an increase in the efficiency of conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy. It was established that the inversion in the sign of the thermopower coefficient for Vx+yCo1-ySb3 not observed for these concentrations of V impurity atoms. Based on the analysis of electrokinetic and energy state characteristics of Vx+yCo1-ySb3, it was assumed that the V (3d34s2) impurity atoms simultaneously replaced Co (3d74s2)atoms, generating structural defects of acceptor nature, and were located in the icosahedral voids of the crystal structure and generated donors.