• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.454-458
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• 2017

$Bi_2Te_3$-based alloys have been intensively investigated as active materials for thermoelectric power generation devices from low-temperature (< $250^{\circ}C$) waste heat. In the present study, we fabricated Pb-doped, p-type $Bi_{0.48}Sb_{1.52}Te_3$ polycrystalline bulks by using meltsolidification and spark plasma sintering techniques, and evaluated their thermoelectric transport properties in an effort to develop optimized composition for low-temperature power generation applications. The electronic and thermal transport properties of $Bi_{0.48}Sb_{1.52}Te_3$ could be manipulated by Pb doping. As a result, the temperature for a peak thermoelectric performance (zT) gradually shifted toward higher temperatures with Pb content, suggesting that thermoelectric power generation efficiency can be enhanced by controlled Pb doping.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.263-270
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• 2011

The aim of this paper is, through the experiment of Lithium-Ammonia solutions $(Li(NH_3)_n)$, to analyze and verify a thermoelectric-conversion property at near Ammonia-boiling point ($-40^{\circ}C$). The experiment results show that the solutions with 0.58 MPM~1.87 MPM generate thermoelectric power at temperature difference $({\Delta}T=0{\sim}15^{\circ}C)$ where Current is constantly proportional to Voltage. This paper provides a new insight into the development of a thermoelectric material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.83-84
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• 2007

Sn-filled and Ni-doped $CoSb_3$ skutterudites were prepared by encapsulated induction melting, and their filling and doping effects on thermoelectric properties were investigated. Single phase ${\delta}-CoSb_3$ was successfully obtained by encapsulated induction melting and subsequent heat treatment at 823K for 5 days. Nickel atoms acted as electron donors by substituting cobalt atoms. Thermoelectric properties were remarkably improved by Sn filling and Ni doping.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.138-139
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• 2006

Metal organic chemical vapor deposition has been investigated for growth of $Sb_{2-x}Bi_xTe_3$ films on (001) GaAs substrates using diisopropyltelluride, triethylantimony and trimethylbismuth as metal organic sources. The thermoelectric properties were measured at room temperature and include Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and Hall effect. In-plane carrier concentration and electrical Hall mobility were highly dependent on precursor's composition ratio and deposition temperature. The thermoelectric Power factor($={\alpha}^2{\sigma}$) was calculated from theses properties. The best Power factor was $2.6\;{\times}\;10^{-3}W/mK^2$, given by grown $Sb_{1.6}Bi_{0.4}Te_3$ at $450^{\circ}C$. These materials could potentially be incorporated into advanced thermoelectric unicouples for a variety of power generation applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.3080-3087
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• 2023

Thermoelectric (TE) materials working in radioisotope thermoelectric generators are irradiated by neutrons throughout its service; thus, investigating the neutron irradiation stability of TE devices is necessary. Herein, the influence of neutron irradiation with fluences of 4.56 × 10¹⁰ and 1 × 10¹³ n/cm² by pulsed neutron reactor on the electrical and thermal transport properties of n-type Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 and p-type Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ thermoelectric alloys prepared by cold-pressing and molding is investigated. After neutron irradiation, the properties of thermoelectric materials fluctuate, which is related to the material type and irradiation fluence. Different from p-type thermoelectric materials, neutron irradiation has a positive effect on n-type Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 materials. This result might be due to the increase of carrier mobility and the optimization of electrical conductivity. Afterward, the effects of p-type and n-type TE devices with different treatments on the output performance of TE devices are further discussed. The positive and negative effects caused by irradiation can cancel each other to a certain extent. For TE devices paired with p-type Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ and n-type Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 thermoelectric legs, the generated power and conversion efficiency are stable after neutron irradiation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.358-363
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• 2013

Lithium-ammonia (Li-$NH_3$) solutions are possible to be successfully made under the vacuum condition but there still remains a problem of undergoing stable and reliable decomposition in vacuum for high-efficiency thermoelectric power generation. This paper describes a new method for improving the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of Li-$NH_3$ solutions in vacuum. The proposed method uses a 'U'-shaped Pyrex vacuum tube for the preparation and decomposition of pure fluid Li-$NH_3$ solutions. The tube is shaped so that a gas passageway ('U') connecting both legs of the 'U' helps to balance pressure inside both ends of the tube (due to $NH_3$ gasification) during decomposition on the hot side. Thermoelectric experimental results show that solution reaction in the 'U'-shaped tube proceeds more stably and efficiently than in the 'U'-shaped tube, and consequently, thermoelectric conversion efficiency is improved. It is also proved that the proposed method can provide a reversible reaction, which can rotate between synthesis and decomposition in the tube, for deriving the long-time, high-efficiency thermoelectric power.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.432-437
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• 2000

Thermoelectric properties of p-type SiGe alloys prepared by a RF inductive furnace were investigated. Non-doped Si80Ge20 alloys were fabricated by control of the quantity of volatile Ge. The carrier of p-type SiGe alloy was controlled by B-doping. B doped p-type SiGe alloys were synthesized by melting the mixture of Ge and Si containing B. The effects of sintering/annealing conditions and compaction pressure on thermoelectric properties (electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient) were investigated. For nondoped SiGe alloys, electrical conductivity increased with increasing temperatures and Seebeck coefficient was measured negative showing a typical n-type semiconductivity. On the other hand, B-doped SiGe alloys exhibited positive Seebeck coefficient and their electrical conductivity decreased with increasing temperatures. Thermoelectric properties were more sensitive to compaction pressure than annealing time. The highest power factor obtained in this work was 8.89${\times}$10-6J/cm$.$K2$.$s for 1 at% B-doped SiGe alloy.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2001

Abstract To investigate the effect of mechanical alloying process to thermoelectric properties of PbTe sintered body, Pb-Te mixed powder with Pb : Te : 1 : 1 composition was mechanically alloyed using tumbler-ball mill. Thermoelectric properties of the sintered body were evaluated by measuring of the Seebeck coefficient and specific electric resistivity from the room temperature to 50$0^{\circ}C$. Sintered body of only mechanically alloyed PbTe powder showed p-type behavior at the room temperature, and occurred type transition from p-type to n-type at about 30$0^{\circ}C$. PbTe sintered body which was fabricated using heat treated powder in $H_2$ atmosphere after mechanical alloying showed stable n-type behavior under 50$0^{\circ}C$. N-type PbTe sintered body fabricated by mechanical alloying process had 4 times higher power factor than that fabricated by the melt-crushing process. Application of a mechanical alloying process to fabricate of n-type PbTe thermoelectric material seemed to be useful to increase the power factor of PbTe sintered body.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.4 s.51
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• pp.255-260
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• 2005

Direct solid state synthesis by hot pressing has been applied in order to produce high efficiency $Zn_4Sb_3$ bulk specimens. Single phase $Zn_4Sb_3$ with 98.5% of theoretical density was successfully produced by direct hot pressing of elemental powders containing 1.2 at.% excess Zn. Thermoelectric properties as a function of temperature were investigated from room temperature to 600 K and compared with results of other studies. Transport properties at room temperature were also evaluated. Thermoelectric properties of single phase $Zn_4Sb_3$ materials produced by direct synthesis were measured and are comparable to the published data. Direct solid state synthesis by hot pressing provides a promising processing route in this material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.682-683
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• 2006

Thermoelectric conversion efficiency of thermoelectric elements can be increased by using a structure combining n-type and p-type semiconductors. From the above point of view, attention was directed at ZnO as a candidate n-type semiconductor material and investigations were made. As the result, a dimensionless figure of merit ZT close to 0.28 (1073K) was obtained for specimens produced by the PCS (Pulse Current Sintering) method with addition of specified quantities of $TiO_2$, CoO, and $Al_2O_3$ to ZnO. It was found that the interstitial $TiO_2$ in the ZnO restrains the grain growth and CoO acts onto the bond between grains. The influence of the inclusion of $TiO_2$ and CoO onto the sintering behavior also was investigated.