• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.4835-4841
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• 2015

The effect of particle size and compaction pressure on the thermoelectric properties of n-type $FeSi_2$ was investigated. The starting powders with various particle size were pressed into a compact (compaction pressure; $70{\sim}220kg/cm^2$). The compact specimens were sintered at 1473 K for 7 h and annealed at 1103 K for 100 h under Ar atmosphere to transform to the semiconducting ${\beta}$-phase. The microstructure and phases of the specimens were observed by SEM, XRD and EDS. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient were measured simultaneously for the same specimen at r.t.~1023 K in Ar atmosphere. The electrical conductivity increased with decreasing particle size and hence the increases of relative density of the sintered body and the amount of residual metallic phase ${\varepsilon}$-FeSi due to a increase of the electrical conductivity. The Seebeck coefficient exhibited the maximum value at about 700~800 K and decreased with decreasing particle size. This must be due to a increase of residual metallic phase ${\varepsilon}$-FeSi. On the other hand, the change of compaction pressure appeared to have little effect on the thermoelectric properties. Consequently, the power factor would be affected more by particle size than compaction pressure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.04b
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• pp.47-47
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• 2009

The formation of variable one-dimensional structures including core/shell structure is of particular significance with respect to potential applications for thermoelectric devices with the enhanced figure of merit ($ZT=S2{\sigma}T/{\kappa}$). We report the fabrication of Bi-Te core/shell nanowire based on a novel stress induced method. Fig. 1 schematically shows the nanowire fabrication process. Bi nanowires are grown on the Si substrate by the stress-induced method, and then Te is evaporated on the Bi nanowires. Fig. 2 is a transmission electron microscopy image clearly showing a core/shell structure for which effective phonon scattering and quantum confinement effect are expected. Electrical conductivity of the core/shell nanowire was measured at the temperatures from 4K to 300K, respectively. Our results demonstrate that Bi-Te core/shell nanowire can be grown successfully by the stress-induced method. Based on the result of electrical transport measurement and characteristic morphology of rough surface, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity of Bi-Te core/shell nanowires are presented.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.285-290
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• 2012

The present study was focused on the analysis of the electric and thermal properties of spark plasma sintered $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ thermoelectric material. The crystal structure, microstructure, electric and thermal properties of the sintered body were evaluated by measuring XRD, SEM, electric resistivity, Hall effect and thermal conductivity. The $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ sintered body showed anisotropic crystal structure. The c-axis of the $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ crystal aligned in a parallel direction with applied pressure during spark plasma sintering. The degree of the crystal alignment increased with increasing sintering temperature and sintering time. The electric resistivity and thermal conductivity of the $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ sintered body showed anisotropic characteristics result from crystal alignment.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.1437-1442
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• 2012

The contemporary peoples focus on treatment of obesity in order to prevent the adult disease and to manage the beauty. Although surgical treatment of obesity shows the reliable cure effect, it could cause side effects and has a disadvantage that postoperative recovery period is long. Accordingly, this paper compares and analyzes the non-operative treatments which can be of help to treat obesity. Also, it considers the obesity therapy based on the Peltier cooling system. And finally a basic control circuit based on Peltier module is designed for Peltier cooling-based obesity therapy system.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.928-936
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• 1999

The electronic refrigerating kimchi jar operates with a low noise because it contains no compressor but it consumes more energy than that of an refrigerator with compressor. In this paper, the heat flow characteristics and cooling performance of an electronic refrigerating kimchi jar are studied by means of experiments. When the storage temperature is kept in a range of $-5.7^{\circ}C$ to $4.1^{\circ}C$. in the case of three ambient temperatures; $12.7^{\circ}C$, $22.3^{\circ}C$ and $32.2^{\circ}C$, the cooling performance of $20{\ell}$ kimchi jar is investigated. The experiments show that the temperature difference that exists between kimchi jar and its ambient provides a measure of the coefficient of performance of kimchi jar. It is also found that ratio of net pumping heat to the heat pumping rate of thermoelectric module is independent of the temperature difference.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.68-74
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• 2015

The porous $Mg_3Sb_2$ based compounds with 60~70% of relative density were prepared by powder compaction at room temperature and reactive liquid phase sintering at 1023 K for 4hrs. The stoichiometric $Mg_3Sb_2$ compounds were synthesized from elemental Sb and Mg powder in the mixing range of 61~63 at% Mg. The increased scattering effect due to the micro-pores reduced the mobility of the charge carrier and the phonon, which caused the electrical conductivity and the thermal conductivity to decrease, respectively. But the scattering effect was greater for the electrical conductivity than for the thermal conductivity. Excess Mg alloyed in the $Mg_3Sb_2$ compounds decreased the electrical conductivity, but had no effect on the thermal conductivity. On the other hand, the large increase of the Seebeck coefficient was the result of a decrease in the charge carrier density due to the excess Mg. Dimensionless figure of merit of the porous $Mg_3Sb_2$ compound reached a maximum value of 0.28 at 61 at% Mg. The obtained value was similar to that of $Mg_3Sb_2$ compounds having little pores.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.93-101
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• 2010

As the number of indispensable needs of clean energy increases due to the green new deal revolution, the possibility of heat energy harvesting from the surrounding infrastructures such as a railroad or highway was verified. In order to find more efficient usage of a heat source, the possibility of transforming heat into electricity were confirmed using Bi-Te type thermoelectric element, and electrical quality were tested with experiments of different heat source and environmental change in the surrounding infrastructures. After careful experiments, the possibility of collecting thermal energy and findings of the heat temperature change in infrastructrue are verified with a result of obtaining almost 20.82W in 70 celcius($^{\circ}C$) temperature differences and $1m^2$ surface area. Consequently, the ratio of heat temperatiure change and transforming surface area is the most crucial factor in the harvesting heat energy, and reducing thermal loss and improving thermal convection as well as transformation efficiency of thermoelectric element is required to get more efficient and durable generation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.596-601
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• 2020

Silicon carbide is considered a potentially useful material for high-temperature electronic devices because of its large band gap energy and p-type or n-type conduction that can be controlled by impurity doping. Accordingly, the thermoelectric properties of -SiC powder prepared by refined diatomite were investigated for high value-added applications of natural diatomite. -SiC powder was synthesized by a carbothermal reduction of the SiO₂ in refined diatomite using carbon black. An acid-treatment process was then performed to eliminate the remaining impurities (Fe, Ca, etc.). n-Type semiconductors were fabricated by sintering the pressed powder at 2000℃ for 1~5h in an N2 atmosphere. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing sintering time, which might be due to an increase in carrier concentration and improvement in grain-to-grain connectivity. The carrier compensation effect caused by the remaining acceptor impurities (Al, etc.) in the obtained -SiC had a deleterious influence on the electrical conductivity. The absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing sintering time, which might be due to a decrease in the stacking fault density accompanied by grain or crystallite growth. On the other hand, the power factor, which reflects the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the present work, was slightly lower than that of the porous SiC semiconductors fabricated by conventional high-purity -SiC powder, it can be stated that the thermoelectric properties could be improved further by precise control of an acid-treatment process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.496-500
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• 2019

In this study, we investigate the effect of an Sb-deficiency on the thermoelectric properties of double-filled n-type skutterudite ($In_{0.05}Yb_{0.15}Co_4Sb_{12-x}$). Samples were prepared by encapsulated induction melting, consecutive long-time annealing, and finally spark plasma sintering processes. The Sb-deficient sample contained a $CoSb_2$ secondary phase. Both the double-filled n-type skutterudite pristine and Sb-deficient samples showed metallic behavior in electrical conductivity with increasing temperature. The carrier concentration of the Sb-deficient sample decreased compared with that of the pristine sample. Due to a decrease in carrier concentration, the Sb deficient sample showed decreased electrical conductivity and an increased Seebeck coefficient compared with the conductivity and coefficient of the pristine sample. Furthermore, the Sb deficient sample showed an increase in the power factor (${\sigma}{\cdot}S^2$); the power factor maximum shifted to athe lower temperature side than ones of the pristine sample. As a result, the Sb-deficient sample represents an improved average figure of merit (ZT) and a $ZT_{max}$ temperature lower than that of the pristine sample. Therefore, we propose that Sb-deficient double-filled n-type skutterudite thermoelectric material ($In_{0.05}Yb_{0.15}Co_4Sb_{12-x}$) be used in the 573~673 K temperature range.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.53-54
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• 2004