Effect of Pd substitution on thermoelectric properties of Ba0.32PdxCo4−xSb12

Polycrystalline skutterudites Ba0.32PdxCo4−xSb12 (nominally x from 0 to 0.1) were synthesized by a melting method and sintered by spark plasma sintering. The electrical and thermal transport properties were investigated from room temperature to 850 K. Pd substitution for Co in Ba0.32Co4Sb12 affected both electron concentration and transport processes, enhanced the thermoelectric power factors and depressed the thermal conductivities. Both the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) and the thermoelectric compatibility factor (CF) were improved over the whole temperature region.