Thermoelectric properties and neutron diffraction of InxCo4Sb12 and Ce0.05In0.1Co4Sb12 skutterudites

Kurzfassung

Indium filled skutterudites are among the high potential thermoelectric materials in the intermediate temperature range of 500 to 700 K. However the role and location of the indium is not yet fully understood. Here we present neutron powder diffraction measurements together with thermoelectric properties data (i.e. , , S) of the InxCo4Sb12 (0.05, 0.2) and Ce0.05In0.1Co4Sb12 skutterudites. Rietveld refinements between 10 and 300 K and thermoelectric performance of the materials will be shown. Our data reveals that indium occupies the Wyckoff 2a position and thus acts as a typical rattler in the skutterudite crystal. The still ambivalent role of indium in this system will be discussed. The DFG priority program SPP1386 Nanostructured Thermoelectrics is acknowledged for the financial support of this study. R.H. acknowledges support from the Helmholtz University Young Investigator Group Lattice Dynamics in Emerging Functional Materials. The Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge and the Juelich Centre for Neutron Science are acknowledged for provision at POWGEN and travel support.