Anomalous effect of vanadium boride seeding on thermoelectric properties of YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N
Highlights: ► We doped YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N; the long awaited n-type counterpart to p-type boron carbide. ► VB{sub 2} seeding of YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N showed striking results. ► Thermal treatment effects led to VB{sub 2} being intrinsically doped. ► Large increase of both Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity was obtained. - Abstract: Vanadium boride seeded YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N were synthesized and the thermoelectric properties investigated. YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N is representative of the series of rare earth borocarbonitrides which is the potential long awaited n-type counterpart to p-type boron carbide. VB{sub 2} seeded samples of YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N were prepared using VB{sub 2} directly as an initial additive and V{sub 2}O{sub 3} which also results in formation of vanadium diboride in the final product. The resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of samples were measured in the temperature range of 323 K to 1073 K. A dramatic effect of thermal treatment on the Seebeck coefficient of VB{sub 2} seeded samples was observed, and it is indicated that there is possible partial intrinsic doping of vanadium into YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N. VB{sub 2} is revealed to be a promising additive to improve the thermoelectric properties of YB{sub 22}C{sub 2}N. An enhancement of more than 220% of the maximum absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient was obtained while the resistivity was also reduced considerably.