Kj. Proctor et al., Modification of the thermoelectric properties of CePd3 by the substitutionof neodymium and thorium, J PHYS CH S, 60(5), 1999, pp. 663-671
The temperature dependence of transport properties, including thermopower,
electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity, were measured on a series
of Nd substituted CePd3 samples and Th substituted NdxCe1-xPd3 samples (x =
0.6, 0.7). The relatively large thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) associ
ated with the intermediate valence state of CePd3 is reduced for all NdxCe1
-xPd3 samples and is primarily the result of reducing the thermopower at al
l temperatures. The ZT values of the NdxCe1-xPd3 samples (x = 0.6, 0.7) are
increased, especially at low temperature (< 150 K), by replacing some of t
he NdxCe1-x with the larger, tetravalent Th. However, the ZT values never e
xceed that of the pure CePd3. For all compounds, the Lorentz ratios (L/L-o)
are close to unity at room temperature and deviate to larger values as the
temperature is lowered. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
.