Rapid preparation and thermoelectric properties of Ba and In double-filled p-type skutterudite bulk materials

A simple, efficient and rapid method was developed to prepare barium and indium double-filled p-type skutterudite bulk materials by melt-quenching and spark plasma sintering. The whole processing time is shortened to less than 30 h vs. the 9 days that the traditional method requires. Comparable electrical conductivity and a significant enhancement in Seebeck coefficient can be realized simultaneously by optimizing the sintering temperature. A comparable ZT value of 0.61 at 800 K was obtained due to a remarkably enhanced power factor.