Calculation of Thermoelectric Power of Pd-Ag and Pd-Rh Alloys

The thermoelectric powers of Pd-Ag and Pd-Rh alloys, in their Pd-rich side, are calculated using the Mott model for s-d scattering, and the density of electronic states which has been determined from the low temperature specific heat data of these alloys. It is shown that the calculated results, in which only current carriers are assumed to be s-electrons, agree qualitatively with experiment at room temperatures but do not at low temperatures. The role of d-holes in the ordinary thermoelectric power of these alloys are discussed at room temperatures. It is shown that by assuming that the phonon drag effect plays a part in the thermoelectric power of Pd at low temperatures, all experimental features of these alloys can be understood consistently as a function of composition and temperature.