Thermoelectric properties of Cr1−xMoxSi2

• The thermoelectric properties of C40 phase Cr1−xMoxSi2 (x=0–0.30) were studied.
• The lattice thermal conductivity decreases by Mo substitution from 9.0 to 4.5 W/mK.
• The ZT values at 800 K increase upon Mo substitution from 0.13 to 0.23.

The thermoelectric properties of Mo-substituted CrSi2 were studied. Dense polycrystalline samples of Mo-substituted hexagonal C40 phase Cr1−xMoxSi2 (x=0–0.30) were fabricated by arc melting followed by spark plasma sintering. Mo substitution substantially increases the carrier concentration. The lattice thermal conductivity of CrSi2 at room temperature was reduced from 9.0 to 4.5 W m−1 K−1 by Mo substitution due to enhanced phonon–impurity scattering. The thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, increases with increasing Mo content because of the reduced lattice thermal conductivity. The maximum ZT value obtained in the present study was 0.23 at 800 K, which was observed for the sample with x=0.30. This value is significantly greater than that of undoped CrSi2 (ZT=0.13).

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