Thermoelectric properties of melt-spun and crystalline In0.2Ce0.1Co4Sb12.3 ribbons

Abstract In this work, we study thermopower and electrical resistance of In 0.2 Ce 0.1 Co 4 Sb 12.3 skutterudite samples, prepared by melt-spinning. Melt-spinning technique was used to produce skutterudite in structurally non-equilibrium state in the form of thin ribbons. We investigate the transport properties of the skutterudite in this non-equilibrium state and its evolution under heat treatment by measuring the sample properties during in-situ annealing. We found that initial state of the ribbons is stable up to about 500 K. At 590 K sharp changes of both, the thermopower and the resistance were observed, indicating on-set of crystallization. Crystalline ribbon and bulk skutterudite samples with the same composition had different properties