Thermoelectric properties of Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3 )synthesized by solution combustion process

High-quality Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3 )nano-powders were synthesized by the solution combustion process. The size of the synthesized Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3 )powders was approximately 23 nm. The green pellets were sintered at 1150-1300°C at a step size of 50°C. Sintered Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3 )bodies crystallized in the perovskite structure with an orthorhombic symmetry. The sintering temperature did not affect the Seebeck coefficient, but significantly affected the electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity of Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3 )increased with increasing temperature, indicating a semiconducting behavior. The absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient gradually increased with an increase in temperature. The highest power factor (3.7 × 10(-5 )Wm(-1 )K(-2 )at 800°C) was obtained for Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3 )sintered at 1,250°C. In this study, we investigated the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of Ca(0.8)Dy(0.2)MnO(3), depending on sintering temperature.