High temperature transport properties of partially filled CaxCo4Sb12 skutterudites

Partially filled CoSb3 skutterudite compounds are emerging materials for thermoelectric energy conversion at high temperature. CaxCo4Sb12 with different Ca contents has been prepared by the conventional metallurgical route. The temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity have been measured on these compounds in the 300-800 K temperature range. These measurements have identified Ca as being a true n-type filler atom and offer, for this family of skutterudite, several valuable insights into the potential of Ca to provide good thermoelectric performance. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.