Thermoelectric properties of Indium doped skutterudite thick film synthesized by a facile technique of electrochemical deposition

Doped/filled skutterudites are much studied materials due to their excellent thermoelectric performance.However,their synthesis and preparation is complicated.This work synthesized indium(In)doped cobalt triantimonide(CoSb_(3))skutterudite thick films using a facile electrochemical deposition technique through chronoamperometric steps for 2 h.The nominal composition of In element is found in the range of 0.55e0.23 for a stoichiometric condition of In doped CoSb_(3)thick films.The early crystal growth of In doped films shows instantaneous nucleation and is controlled by the charge transfer process with diffusion coefficient,D of 10^(-5)cm^(2)/s.The incorporation of In into the interstitial sites of CoSb_(3)cages is evident from the lattice constant(a)expansion as observed in XRD.The optimum Seeback coefficient(S)of the 0.5 mmol In doped CoSb_(3)thick film is89.84 mV/K at 282 K,due to an increase in the carrier concentration(n~10^(20)cm^(-3)).The negative S is due to the electron donor behaviour of the In.Meanwhile,high electrical conductivity,s value(14.26 kS/m)contributes to a power factor(S2s)increment of 115.11 mW/(m$K2).The result shows a promising thermoelectric property of doped skutterudite synthesized by electrochemical deposition technique.