Thermoelectric properties of pure and doped FeMSb (M=V,Nb)

The thermoelectric properties of the pure and doped half-Heusler compounds FeVSb and FeNbSb are reported. The electrical resistivities are between 0.2 and 20 m Omega cm at room temperature. Thermoelectric power measurements indicate that FeVSb is an n-type material with moderate Seebeck coefficients near -70 mu V/K at 300 K. The thermal conductivity at room temperature is large, approximately 0.1 W/cm K, and increases with decreasing temperature. Chemical substitutions, which have a dramatic effect on the transport properties, were performed in an effort to enhance the thermoelectric performance. Band-structure calculations are presented for the pure materials. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)03001-2].