Ca3-xBaxCo4O9　(x=0-0.4)　bulks　were　prepared　by　sol-gel　and　spark　plasma　sintering　(SPS)　method,　and　the　effects　of　preparation　process　on　texture　and　thermoelectric　properties　were　discussed　in　detail.　The　results　show　that　SPS　process　is　helpful　to　form　texture.　The　bulks　are　composed　of　plate-like　grains,　which　are　aligned　to　(00l)　plane.　To　some　extent,　the　orientation　and　density　of　Ca3Co　4O9　bulks　are　enhanced　with　the　increasing　SPS　temperature,　pressure　and　sintering　time,　which　decrease　electrical　resistivity　as　well　as　keep　the　lower　thermal　conductivity　and　higher　Seebeck　coefficient.　SPS　sintering　time　has　the　most　immense　effect　on　thermoelectric　properties.　The　sample　sintered　at　800C　and　30MPa　for　5min　exhibits　figure　of　merit　(ZT)　value　of　0.2　at　700C,　while　the　ZT　value　is　improved　to　0.4　for　the　bulk　sintered　for　2h.　A　certain　amount　of　Ba　doping　can　reduce　the　electrical　resistivity　and　the　thermal　conductivity,　and　so　improve　the　ZT　value.　When　the　doping　content　of　Ba　is　0.2,　the　maximum　ZT　value　of　0.28　at　700C　for　Ca2.8Ba0.2Co4O9　samples　sintered　by　SPS　at　800C,　30MPa　for　5min　can　be　achieved.　When　the　sintering　time　is　prolonged　to　2h,　the　ZT　value　is　improved　to　0.43.　But　the　ZT　value　decreases　when　the　doping　content　exceeds　some　level　because　of　two　main　reasons:　on　the　one　hand,　too　much　doping　content　causes　defect　scattering,　which　reduces　carrier　mobility　and　so　decreases　the　electrical　conductivity;　on　the　other　hand,　the　radius　of　Ba　ions　is　very　large,　and　when　the　content　is　higher,　it＇s　difficult　for　them　to　completely　enter　the　lattice　to　substitute　Ca　sites　and　so　the　carrier　concentration　can＇t　be　enhanced.　©　2006　IEEE.