Effects of Sb on the Thermoelectric Properties of PbTe

This study focuses on improving the thermoelectric properties of PbTe-based materials by adding different Sb content. The potential for achieving high thermoelectric efficiency in Sb-doped n-type PbTe-based thermoelectric compounds is described, and the electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity are measured from room temperature to about 500K. The effects of the Sb concentration in Sbx (Pb18Te20) on the resulting thermoelectric properties are studied. Furthermore, the surface features of Sbx (Pb18Te20) are also observed.