Thermoelectric properties of semi-conducting compound CoSb3 doped with Pd and Te

Hot-pressed samples of the semi-conducting compound CoSb3-doped Pd and Te were prepared and characterized by X-ray and microprobe analysis. Thermoelectric characterization was done through measurements of the electrical and thermal conductivities as well as the Seebeck coefficient between room temperature and 900 K. All samples had n-type conductivity. The dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT increases with increasing temperature and reaches a maximum value of 1 at 873 K.