• Electronic Materials Letters
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.725-732
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• 2018

The thermoelectric and transport properties of Ti-doped FeVSb half-Heusler alloys were studied in this study. $FeV_{1-x}Ti_xSb$ (0.1 < x < 0.5) half-Heusler alloys were synthesized by mechanical alloying process and subsequent vacuum hot pressing. After vacuum hot pressing, a near singe phase with a small fraction of second phase was obtained in this experiment. Investigation of microstructure revealed that both grain and particle sizes were decreased on doping which would influence on thermal conductivity. No foreign elements pick up from the vial was seen during milling process. Thermoelectric properties were investigated as a function of temperature and doping level. The absolute value of Seebeck coefficient showed transition from negative to positive with increasing doping concentrations ($x{\geq}0.3$). Electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and power factor increased with the increasing amount of Ti contents. The lattice thermal conductivity decreased considerably, possibly due to the mass disorder and grain boundary scattering. All of these turned out to increase in power factor significantly. As a result, the thermoelectric figure of merit increased comprehensively with Ti doping for this experiment, resulting in maximum thermoelectric figure of merit for $FeV_{0.7}Ti_{0.3}Sb$ at 658 K.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2016

P-type ternary $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ alloys are fabricated via mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). Different ball sizes are used in the MA process, and their effect on the microstructure; hardness, and thermoelectric properties of the p-type BiSbTe alloys are investigated. The phases of milled powders and bulks are identified using an X-ray diffraction technique. The morphology of milled powders and fracture surface of compacted samples are examined using scanning electron microscopy. The morphology, phase, and grain structures of the samples are not altered by the use of different ball sizes in the MA process. Measurements of the thermoelectric (TE) transport properties including the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor are measured at temperatures of 300-400 K for samples treated by SPS. The TE properties do not depend on the ball size used in the MA process.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.1332-1334
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• 2002

Thermoelectric generation is the direct energy conversion method from heat th electric power. The conversion method is a very useful utilization of waste energy because of its possibility using a thermal energy below $150^{\circ}C$ This research objective is th establish the thermoelectric technology on a optimum system design method and efficiency, and cost effective thermoelectric element in order to extract the maximum electric power from a wasted hot water. This paper is considered in manufacturing a thermoelectric generator and measuring of electric resistance of module a thermoelectric modules. It was found that the electric resistance of thermoelectric modules was defined as a temperature functions. The relationship between electric resistance and temperature characteristics can be a analogized as function of electric current.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.272-276
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• 2007

P-type thermoelectric material $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$ was sintered by Hot Press process (HP) and the effect of boron ($0.25{\sim}2$ at%) addition on the thermoelectric properties were reported. To enhance the thermoelectric performances, the $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$, alloys were fabricated by mechanical alloying (MA) and HP. The carrier of p-type SiGe alloy was controlled by B-doping. The effect of sintering condition and thermoelectric properties were investigated. B-doped SiGe alloys exhibited positive seebeck coefficient. The electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity were increased at the small amount of boron content ($0.25{\sim}0.5$ at%). However, they were decreased over 0.5 at% boron content. As a result, the small addition of boron improved the Z value. The Z value of 0.5 at% B doped $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$ B alloy was $0.9{\times}10{-4}/K$, the highest value among the prepared alloys.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2023

High-temperature and high-pressure post-processing applied to sintered thermoelectric materials can create nanoscale defects, thereby enhancing their thermoelectric performance. Here, we investigate the effect of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) as a post-processing treatment on the thermoelectric properties of p-type Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te_3.0 compounds sintered via spark plasma sintering. The sample post-processed via HIP maintains its electronic transport properties despite the reduced microstructural texturing. Moreover, lattice thermal conductivity is significantly reduced owing to activated phonon scattering, which can be attributed to the nanoscale defects created during HIP, resulting in an ~18% increase in peak zT value, which reaches ~1.43 at 100℃. This study validates that HIP enhances the thermoelectric performance by controlling the thermal transport without having any detrimental effects on the electronic transport properties of thermoelectric materials.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.6 s.53
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• pp.387-392
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• 2005

The p-type semiconductor $Bi_2Te_3-Sb_2Te_3$ thermoelectric materials were fabricated by melting, milling and sintering process and their thermoelectric properties were characterized. The compound materials were ball-milled with milling time and the powders were sintered by spark plasma sintering process. The ball milled powders had equiaxial shape and approedmately $1\~3{\mu}m$ in size. The figure of meritz of sintered thermoelectric materials decreased with milling time because of lowered electrical resistivity. The thermoelectric properties of $Bi_2Te_3-Sb_2Te_3$ materials have been discussed in terms of electrical property with ball mill process.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2017

Thermoelectric power generation (TEG) technology with high figure of merit (ZT) has become the need of the modern world. TEG is a potent technology which can tackle most of the environmental issues such as global warming, change in climatic conditions over the globe, and for burning out of various resources of non-renewable energy like as petroleum deposits and gasolines. Although thermoelectric materials generally convert the heat energy from wastes to electricity according to the theories Seebeck and Peltier effects yet they have not been fully exploited to realize their potential. Researchers are focusing mainly on how to improve the current ZT value from 1 to 2 or even 3 by various approaches. However, a higher ZT value is found to be difficult due to complex thermoelectric properties of materials. Hence, there is a need for developing materials with high figure of merit. Recently, various nanotechnological approaches have been incorporated to improve the thermoelectric properties of materials. In this review paper, the authors have performed a thorough literature survey of various kinds of TEG technology.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.218-223
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• 2004

P-type $\beta$-FeSi$_2$ with a nominal composition of $Fe_{0.92}Mn_{0.08}Si_2$ powders has been produced by mechanical alloying process. As-milled powders were spray dried and consolidated by atmospheric plasma thermal spraying as a rapid sintering process. As-milled powders were of metastable state and fully transformed to $\beta$-$FeSi_2$ phase by subsequent isothermal annealing. However, as-thermal sprayed $Fe_{0.92}Mn_{0.08}Si_2$ consisted of untransformed mixture of $\alpha$-$Fe_2Si_{5}$ and $\varepsilon$-FeSi phases. Isothermal annealing has been carried out to induce transformation to the thermoelectric semiconducting $\beta$-$FeSi_2$ phase. Isothermal annealing at $845^{\circ}C$ in vacuum gradually led to the thermoelectric semiconducting $\beta$-$FeSi_2$ phase transformation, but some residual metallic $\alpha$ and $\varepsilon$ phases were unavoidable even after prolonged annealing. Thermoelectric properties of $\beta$-$FeSi_2$ materials before and after isothermal annealing were evaluated. Seebeck coefficient increased and electric conductivity decreased with increasing annealing time due to the phase transition from metallic phases to semiconducting phases. Thermoelectric properties showed gradual increment, but overall properties appeared to be inferior to those of vacuum hot pressed specimens.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.263-269
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• 2016

Graphene oxide (GO) powder processed by Hummer's method is mixed with p-type $Bi_2Te_3$ based thermoelectric materials by a high-energy ball milling process. The synthesized GO-dispersed p-type $Bi_2Te_3$ composite powder has a composition of $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ (BSbT), and the powder is consolidated into composites with different contents of GO powder by using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. It is found that the addition of GO powder significantly decreases the thermal conductivity of the pure BSbT material through active phonon scattering at the newly formed interfaces. In addition, the electrical properties of the GO/BSbT composites are degraded by the addition of GO powder except in the case of the 0.1 wt% GO/BSbT composite. It is found that defects on the surface of GO powder hinder the electrical transport properties. As a result, the maximum thermoelectric performance (ZT value of 0.91) is achieved from the 0.1% GO/BSbT composite at 398 K. These results indicate that introducing GO powder into thermoelectric materials is a promising method to achieve enhanced thermoelectric performance due to the reduction in thermal conductivity.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.437-442
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• 2011

The present study focused on the synthesis of Bi-Te-Se-based powder by an oxide-reduction process, and analysis of the thermoelectric properties of the synthesized powder. The phase structure, chemical composition, and morphology of the synthesized powder were analyzed by XRD, EPMA and SEM. The synthesized powder was sintered by spark plasma sintering. The thermoelectric properties of the sintered body were evaluated by measuring its Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity. $Bi_2Te_{2.7}Se_{0.3}$ powder was synthesized from a mixture of $Bi_2O_3$, $TeO_2$, and $SeO_2$ powders by mechanical milling, calcination, and reduction. The sintered body of the synthesized powder exhibited n-type thermoelectric characteristics. The thermoelectric properties of the sintered bodies depend on the reduction temperature. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of the sintered body were increased with increasing reduction temperature. The sintered body of the $Bi_2Te_{2.7}Se_{0.3}$ powder synthesized at $360^{\circ}C$ showed about 0.5 of the figure of merit (ZT) at room temperature.