Thermoelectric properties of the solid solutions based on ThSi2-type CeSi2 compound

Thermoelectric properties (from 240 up to 380 K) of the ThSi2-type CeSi2, Ce40Si27Ge32, Ce38Si48Ge13, Ce37Si28Ga35 and Y0.5Ce0.5Si2 compounds are reported.The Seebeck coefficients increase with increasing temperature from 240 up to 380 K for the CeSi2 (S = −62 to −43 μV/K), Ce38Si48Ge13 (S = −25 to −13 μV/K), Ce40Si27Ge32 (S = −7.5 to +2 μV/K) and Y0.5Ce0.5Si2 (S = −25 to −14 μV/K) compounds. The Seebeck coefficient desreases with increasing temperature for the Ce37Si28Ga35 compound (S = −8.8 to −13.6 μV/K). The substitution of Ge, Ga or Y for Si or Ce shifts the Seebeck coefficient to positive values. The presence of the Si (Ge) impurity phase strongly influences the electrical resistance and the thermal conductivity of the alloys.The CeSi2 has the best ZT parameter of the present compounds: ZT = 0.086 at 240 K.