Title:
【発明の名称】高性能熱電材料およびその調製法
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JPH10510677
Kind Code:
A
Abstract:
Transition metals (T) of Group VIII (Co, Rh and Ir) have been prepared as semiconductor alloys with Sb having the general formula TSb3. The skutterudite-type crystal lattice structure of these semiconductor alloys and their enhanced thermoelectric properties results in semiconductor materials which may be used in the fabrication of thermoelectric elements to substantially improve the efficiency of the resulting thermoelectric device. Semiconductor alloys having the desired skutterudite-type crystal lattice structure may be prepared in accordance with the present invention by using vertical gradient freeze techniques, liquid-solid phase sintering techniques, low temperature powder sintering and/or hot-pressing. Measurements of electrical and thermal transport properties of selected semiconductor materials prepared in accordance with the present invention, demonstrated high Hall mobilities (up to 8000 cm2.V-1.s-1), good Seebeck coefficients (up to 400 mu VK-1 between 300 DEG C. and 700 DEG C.), and low thermal conductivities (as low as 15 mW/cmK). Optimizing the transport properties of semiconductor materials prepared from elemental mixtures Co, Rh, Ir and Sb resulted in a two fold increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) at temperatures as high as 400 DEG C. for thermoelectric elements fabricated from such semiconductor materials.
Inventors:
Flureal, Jean Pierre
Keirat, Siari, F
Shuchevs?, Arrigan?
Keirat, Siari, F
Shuchevs?, Arrigan?
Application Number:
JP50593295A
Publication Date:
October 13, 1998
Filing Date:
July 28, 1994
Export Citation:
Assignee:
California, Institute, Av, Tenaraji
International Classes:
C22C19/07; H01L35/14; H01L35/18; H01L35/22; H01L35/32; H01L35/34; (IPC1-7): H01L35/14; H01L35/34; H01L35/32; C22C19/07
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Sanada Yuzo (2 outside)