Electrical properties and microcosmic study on compound defects in Ga-containing thermoelectric skutterudites

• DOI: 10.1039/c4ta00487f
• Publication Date: 2014-02-22T09:37:54Z
• Authors: Yuting Qiu; Juanjuan Xing; Xiang Gao; Lili Xi; Xun Shi; Hui Gu; Lidong Chen
• Keywords: Skutterudite; Rietveld Refinement

Group 13 elements, such as Ga, In, and Tl, in skutterudite caged compounds show many differences compared with normal metal fillers. The charge-compensated compound defect (CCCD) model has been proposed recently to explain the abnormal behavior thermodynamics thermoelectric transports for Ga/In-containing skutterudites. Partial evidence from macroscopic perspective given support CCCD by using X-ray diffraction statistical electron micro-probe analysis. In this work we have undertaken a systematic study on Ga-containing skutterudites microscopic based scanning microscopy (SEM) transmission (TEM). Interestingly, gives similar results conclusions analysis, solubility dual-site occupancy of Ga These defects lead unusual covalent bonds, instead ionic bonds between filler-Ga neighboring Sb/Ga atoms, which makes carrier concentrations mobilities significantly different those character provides an extra possible method tune properties skutterudites, addition approaches used