Effects of Sn-doping on the electrical and thermal transport properties of p-type Cerium filled skutterudites

p-type Sn-doped CoSb3-based skutterudite compounds have been prepared using melting–quenching–annealing method and spark plasma sintering technique. Sn atoms in our samples are completely soluted on Sb-site with a fixed charge state and non-magnetic feature, providing a better choice to ascertain the effect of element doping at the [Co4Sb12] framework on the electrical and thermal transport properties in p-type skutterudites. Doping Sn at the framework introduces additional ionized impurity scattering to affect the electron transport greatly. Similar electrical transport properties between Ce0.2Co4Sb11.2Sn0.8 and Co4Sb11Sn0.6Te0.4 suggest that Ce fillers contribute little to the valence band edge. Filling Ce into the voids and doping Sn at the framework introduce additional phonon resonant and point defect scattering mechanisms, thereby reducing lattice thermal conductivity remarkably. Moreover, our data suggest that combining these two effects is more effective to suppress lattice thermal conductivity through scattering broad range of phonons with different frequencies.

Research highlights▶ Sn-doped p-type skutterudites exhibit high Hall carrier mobility. ▶ Sn-doping introduces additional ionized impurity scattering to carriers. ▶ Fillers in p-type skutterudites may scarcely influence the valence band edge. ▶ Combining the effects of filling and doping in skutterudite can significantly lower κL.