Seebeck coefficient of Bi-Sb samples grown by mechanical alloying

Abstract

We report Seebeck coefficient, S(T) and electrical resistivity, /spl rho/(T) measurements of Bi/sub 0.88/Sb/sub 0.12/ compounds prepared by mechanical alloying (MA). The behavior of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity were studied as a function of temperature and the milling time (MT). The milling process was carried out at room temperature and took different values from 0 hours to 45 hours. The Seebeck coefficient was measured by using the differential method in the temperature range between 77 K and 300 K. S(T) is negative in whole temperature range measured and it changes from -60 /spl mu/V/K for the samples with low milling time up to reach values close to -160 /spl mu/V/K in the samples processed through 45 hours. The thermoelectric power factor, PF increases with the temperature and the milling time, it reaches values close to 5 /spl mu/W/K/sup 2/cm. This result allows us to consider the use of this simple and inexpensive method to grow this kind of thermoelectric materials.