ICT2014 Abstracts

Oxide ceramics with the nominal composition La_1-xSr_xCuO₃ (0≤ x≤ 0.08) (LCuO-Sr) were prepared using a solid-state reaction method. Their structural and morphological properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Transport properties were evaluated in the temperature range between 90 and 300 K using Seebeck coefficient S(T) and electrical resistivity ρ(T) measurements. S(T) showed positive values, suggesting a p-type material, and decreased with the Sr content. The electrical resistivity, measured using a four-probe DC method, revealed semiconducting to metallic behavior; ρ(T) decreased with the Sr content and reached minimum values close to 2 mΩ-cm at room temperature. From S(T) and ρ(T) data the thermoelectric power factor was calculated, which reached maximum values close to 25 mW/K²cm. Thus, these ceramics are promising materials for use in thermoelectric devices for low-temperature applications.