Nanosize Transition Metal Antimonides, NiSb and FeSb2: Solvothermal Synthesis and Characterization

Transition metal antimonide nanoparticles, NiSb and FeSb2, were synthesized by solvothermal method with the inclusion of various kinds of additives. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of hexagonal NiSb and orthorhombic FeSb2. NiSb nanoparticles of diameter about 10-40 nm and FeSb2 nanorods of 6 nm wide and 15-30 nm long were synthesized with the addition of SDS as surfactant. The structural analysis by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also revealed the formation of transition metal antimonide nanoparticles with high purity and better crystallinity. The effect of the nanostructure on the UV-vis absorption and luminescence of the antimonide nanoparticles has been studied. The nanosize transition metal antimonides such as NiSb and FeSb2 have applications as inclusion materials in CoSb3 skutterudites in developing thermoelectric devices with better energy conversion efficiency.