High-temperature thermoelectric properties of n-type BayNixCo4-xSb12

Effects of Ba filling, fraction and Ni content on the thermoelectric properties of n-type BayNixCo4-xSb12 (x = 0-0.1, y = 0,-0.4) were investigated at temperature range of 300 to 900 K. Thermal conductivity decreased with increasing Ba filling fraction and temperature. When y was fixed at 0.3, thermal conductivity decreased with increasing Ni content and reached a minimum value at about x = 0.05. Lattice thermal conductivity decreased with increasing Ni content, monotonously (y less than or equal to 0.1). Electron concentration and electrical conductivity increased with increasing Ba filling fraction and Ni content. Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing temperature and decreased with increasing Ba filling fraction and Ni content. The maximum ZT value of 1.25 was obtained at about 900 K for n-type Ba0.3Ni0.05Co3.95Sb12.