Synthesis of nano-sized CoSb3-based skutterudites using a modified polyol process

Nanostructures provide a high concentration of grain boundaries, which can reduce the thermal conductivity of thermoelectric (TE) materials and favor an increase in their thermoelectric figure-of-merit, ZT. In this paper, we report the synthesis of nanocrystalline high purity CoSb₃ via a modified polyol process using CoCl₂ldr6H₂O and SbCl₃ as precursors dissolved in tetra-ethylene glycol (TEG). This one-step synthesis process is efficient and fast, and requires a relatively low synthesis temperature of 240degC. This solution-based method also offers several advantages, such as high productively and low cost.