Ca-doped HoCoO3 as p-type oxide thermoelectric material

High temperature thermoelectric figure-of-merit of Ca-doped rare-earth coba lt oxides, R0.9Ca0.1CoO3 (R = Pr similar to Gd) were enhanced by substituti ng the rare-earth element for Ho3+, which has smaller ionic radius, indicat ing that the temperature dependence of thermoelectric figure-of-merit of th ese Ca2+ doped rare-earth cobalt oxide can be controlled by variation of th e ionic radius of rare-earth element. Thermoelectric figure-of-merit, Z, of Ho0.9Ca0.1CoO3 was 0.9 X 10(-4) K-1, at similar to 573 K. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.