Session W29: Focus Session: Thermoelectrics V: III-V's & Nanostructures
11:15 AM–2:03 PM, Thursday, March 18, 2010
Room: C123
Sponsoring Units:
DMP FIAP GERA
Chair: Lilia Woods, University of South Florida
Abstract ID: BAPS.2010.MAR.W29.11
Abstract: W29.00011 : Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of nanosize CoSb$_{3}$ skutterudite by solvothermal route
1:39 PM–1:51 PM
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Abstract 
Authors:
Wenzhi Li
(Department of Physics, Florida International University)
Latha Kumari
(Department of Physics, Florida International University)
Zhifeng Ren
(Department of Physics, Boston College)
Skutterudite CoSb$_{3}$ material has remarkable thermoelectric property and great potential applications for thermoelectric power generation and solid state cooling. In this work, we report the synthesis of the skutterudite CoSb$_{3}$ nanoparticles by solvothermal method with or without surfactants. Pure cubic phase of CoSb$_{3}$ has been synthesized with or without the surfactants; however, the size and shape of the CoSb$_{3}$ nanoparticles are affected by the surfactants. The small particles have an optical band gap of around 3.44 eV and a broad photoluminescence emission band with maximum at 409 nm. Thermoelectric measurements were performed on the nanosize CoSb$_{3}$ materials. A maximum power factor of 1.3$\times $10$^{-4}$Wm$^{-1}$K$^{-2}$, low thermal conductivity of 1.5 Wm$^{-1}$K$^{-1}$ and thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.06 was obtained at 720 K. The skutterudite CoSb$_{3}$ nanostructures may be used to develop high efficiency thermoelectric devices.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2010.MAR.W29.11