Thermoelectric Properties of Nano Structured $CoSb_3$ Synthesized by Mechanical Alloying

Undoped $CoSb_3$ powders were synthesized by mechanical alloying (MA) of elemental powders using a nominal stoichiometric composition. Nano-structured, single-phase skutterudite $CoSb_3$ was successfully produced by vacuum hot pressing (VHP) using MA powders without subsequent annealing. Phase transformations during synthesis were investigated using XRD, and microstructure was observed using SEM and TEM. Thermoelectric properties in terms of Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and figure of merit(ZT) were systematically measured and compared with the results of analogous studies. Lattice thermal conductivity was reduced owing to increasing phone scattering in nano-structured MA $CoSb_3$, leading to enhancement in the thermoelectric figure of merit. MA associated with VHP technique offers an alternative potential processing route for the process of skutterudite.