Effects of ZnSb and Zn inclusions on the thermoelectric properties of β-Zn4Sb3

Abstract Several hot-pressed samples based on β-Zn 4 Sb 3 with different amounts of ZnSb or Zn were prepared and their thermoelectric properties were investigated in a temperature range from room temperature (R.T.) to 673 K. A result similar to a previous paper (Caillat et al., J. Phys. Chem. Sol. 58(7) (1997) 1119) was obtained on the thermoelectric properties of single-phase β-Zn 4 Sb 3 . ZnSb has a higher electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity than β-Zn 4 Sb 3 does. ZnSb leads to an increase in electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 based materials, roughly in proportion to the amount of ZnSb. Zn does the opposite. However, the power factor of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 based materials with ZnSb or Zn as a secondary phase is lower than that of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 . Since both ZnSb and Zn increase the thermal conductivity of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 based materials, the figure of merit of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 based materials containing ZnSb or Zn as a secondary phase may not exceed that of β-Zn 4 Sb 3 .