THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF P-TYPE IRON DISILICIDE CERAMICS FABRICATED FROM THE COMPOSITE POWDER PREPARED BY PRECIPITATION METHOD

p-type semiconducting ceramics of iron disilicide with high thermoelec tric figures of merit were fabricated from composite powders composed of Fe0.99Cr0.01Si2.00/ 5.38 mass% Cr(OH)(3) or Fe0.92Mn0.08Si2.00/5.38 mass% Mn(OH)(2) that had been prepared by the precipitation method. T he figures of merit were 0.52 x 10(-4)/K(673 K) and 1.23 x 10(-4)/K(87 3K) for Cr-doped and Mn-doped iron disilicide, respectively. Increase in the figure of merit through metal hydroxide addition was considered to be due to the optimization of the acceptor concentration which was caused by the simultaneous dissolution of dopant metals and oxygen in to the iron disilicide phase.