Interfacial behaviors of p-type CeyFexCo4–xSb12/Nb thermoelectric joints

Interfacial diffusions and/or chemical reactions are one of the key issues for the reliability of CoSb 3 -based skutterudite thermoelectric (TE) joint, especially for the [Formula: see text]-type joint, which limits the applications of TE devices. We investigate the interfacial evolution for [Formula: see text]-type Ce y Fe x Co[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text]/Nb joints ([Formula: see text]–1, [Formula: see text], 3, 4) and combine the previous study on [Formula: see text]-type Yb[Formula: see text]Co 4 Sb[Formula: see text]/Nb joint to demonstrate the effect of TE materials on the interfacial microstructure and interfacial resistivity. The reaction–diffusion kinetic analysis shows that the TE materials has little effect on chemical reactions but strongly influence the Sb diffusions. The low energy barrier of Sb diffusion leads to the absent phase decomposition of skutterudites in Ce y Fe x Co[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text]/Nb joints. The interfacial resistivity of Ce y Fe x Co[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text]/Nb joints is related with Fe content and the interfacial reaction layer (IRL) growth. In addition, since the interfacial reaction layer growth rate and interfacial resistivity of Ce y Fe x Co[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text]/Nb joints are both low, Nb is an adequate barrier layer candidate material.