Year: 2000
Type: article
Abstract: Tin atoms were inserted into the skutterudite-type CoSb3 host lattice under high pressure and temperature conditions. It was found that Sn atoms could be inserted into the body-centered vacant site, resulting in the formation of new filled (or partially filled) skutterudites, SnxCo4Sb12. The degree of insertion (x) increases with increasing applied pressure, and the vacant sites of the CoSb3 host lattice is fully occupied by Sn atoms when the reaction is carried out at 8GPa and at 550°C. X-ray Rietveld refinement revealed that the inserted Sn atom showed an anomalously large isotropic atomic displacement parameter, indicating a large thermal vibration amplitude at the body-centered position. The Sn-filled skutterudites exhibit n-type semiconducting behaviour indicating that Sn filling causes the formation of a donor level.
Authors: Hirotsugu TAKIZAWA, Masayuki ITO, Kyota UHEDA, Tadashi ENDO
Institution: Tohoku University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2329604555