Enhancement in thermoelectric properties of FeSb2 by Sb site deficiency

We report a strategy based on introduction of point defects for improving the thermoelectric properties of FeSb2, a promising candidate for low temperature applications. Introduction of Sb deficiency to the tune of 20% leads to enhancement in the values of electrical conductivity (σ) and Seebeck coefficient (S) accompanied with a concomitant suppression in lattice thermal conductivity (κlat) values in samples prepared using conventional solid state reaction route. These observations in polycrystalline FeSb2-x provides ample motivation for a dedicated exploration of thermoelectric behavior of the corresponding single crystalline as well as hot-pressed polycrystalline counterparts.