Effect of Bi doping on the thermoelectric properties of Zn4Sb3

Polycrystalline samples of β-Zn4Sb3 doped with bismuth have been fabricated through vacuum melting followed by hot-pressing method. The thermoelectric properties of Bi-doped compounds Zn4Sb3−xBix (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06) were investigated in the temperature range of 323–673 K. All the specimens exhibited the behavior of p-type conduction. The thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) was increased with the increase of Bi content. The maximum ZT value of 1.09 was obtained at 673 K for x = 0.06 as compared to the ZT of 0.8 in the undoped Zn4Sb3.