CoSb3 Skutterudites materials have high potential for thermoelectric application at mid-temperature range because of their superior thermoelectric properties via control of charge carrier density and substitution of foreign atoms. Improvement of thermoelectric properties is expected for the ternary solid solution developed by substitution of foreign atoms having different valances into the CoSb3 matrix. In this study, ternary solid solutions with a stoichiometry of Co1-xNixSb3 x = 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, CoSb3-yTey, y = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 were prepared by the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) system. Before the SPS synthesis, the ingots were synthesized by vacuum induction melting and followed by annealing. For phase analysis X-ray powder diffraction patterns were checked. All the samples were confirmed as single phase; however, with samples that were more doped than the solubility limit some secondary phases were detected. All the samples doped with Ni and Te atoms showed a negative Seebeck coefficient and their electrical conductivities increased with the doping amount up to the solubility limit. For the samples prepared by SPS the maximum value for dimensionless figure of merit reached 0.26, 0.42 for Co0.9Ni0.1Sb3, CoSb2.8Te0.2 at 690 K, respectively. These results show that the SPS method is effective in this system and Ni/Te dopants are also effective for increasing thermoelectric properties of this system.

Y0.8Ta0.2O1.7-MO(M=Ba, Sr, Ca 및 Mg) 계에서의 형석구조의 생성과 이와 관련된 구조에 관하여 연구하였다. BaO또는 SrO를 4mol% 첨가한 조성에서는 결함형석구조 이외에 입방정 perovskite형 규칙구조인 Ba2YTaO6 및 Sr2YTaO6와 입방정 Y2O3가 관찰되었다. CaO를 첨가한 경우에는 8mol%이상을 첨가한 조성에서부터 단사정 Ca2YTaO6와 Y2O3의 2차상이 나타났다. MgO의 경우에는 12mol% MgO를 첨가한 조성까지는 형석구조의 단일상을 나타내어 MgO가 형석구조에 고용되는 것을 알수 있었으며, 16 mol%조성부터는 2차상으로 MgO가 관찰되었다. 그러므로 위의 계에서 형석구조의 생성은 A2(B'B")O6의 생성과 첨가된 양이온의 크기에 영향을 받는 것으로 생각된다.생각된다.