Thermoelectric composite materials based on intermediate-valence cerium and ytterbium intermetallic compounds

An important thermoelectric characteristic-the power factor of composite thermoelectric materials—is calculated on the basis of performed measurements of the thermopower, electric conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reference data. The investigated composites consist of intermediate-valence CeNi and YbAl3 intermetallic systems and elementary metals, nickel and chromium. On account of the specific transport properties of a heterogeneous medium, it becomes possible to increase the value of the power factor in composites at a sufficiently low concentrations of rare-earth-element-based intermetallic compounds. The dependences of the composite-thermoelectric-material power factor on the temperature and the mass fraction of valence-instable components are obtained.