High-temperature transport properties of complex antimonides with anti-Th3P4 structure.
Polycrystalline samples of R(4)Sb(3) (R = La, Ce, Sm and Yb) and Yb(4-x)R'(x)Sb(3) (R' = Sm and La) have been quantitatively synthesized by high-temperature reaction. They crystallize in the anti-Th(3)P(4) structure type (I43d, no. 220). Structural and chemical characterizations have been performed by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Powders have been densified by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1300 degrees C under 50 MPa of pressure. Transport property measurements show that these compounds are n-type with low Seebeck coefficient except for Yb(4)Sb(3) that shows a typical metallic behavior with hole conduction. By partially substituting Yb by a trivalent rare earth we successfully improved the thermoelectric figure of merit of Yb(4-x)R'(x)Sb(3) up to 0.75 at 1000 degrees C.
Chamoire
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Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier, Equipe PMOF, UMR 5253 CNRS-ENSCM-UM2-UM1, Université Montpellier II, 34095, Montpellier, France.
Gascoin
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Estournès
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Caillat
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Tédenac
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