• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.19-20
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• 2013

Thermoelectic properties of the typical thermoelectric host materials, the tellurides and selenides, are known to be noticeably changed by their volume change due to the strain [1]. In the bismuth telluride ($Bi_2Te_3$) crystal, a substitution of rare-earth element by replacing one of the Bi atoms may cause the change of the lattice parameters while remaining the rhombohedral structure of the host material. Using the first-principles approach by the precise full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method [2], we investigated the Ce substitution effect on the thermoelectric transport coefficients for the bismuth telluride, employing Boltzmann's equation in a constant relaxation-time approach fed with the FLAPW wave-functions within the rigid band approximation. Depending on the real process of re-arrangement of atoms in the cell to reach the equilibrium state, $CeBiTe_3$ was found to manifest a metal or a narrow bandgap semiconductor. This feature along with the strong correlation effect originated by the 4f states of Ce affect significantly on the thermoelectric properties. We showed that the position of the strongly localized f-states in energy scale (Fig. 1, f-states are shaded) was found to alter critically the transport properties in this material suggesting an opportunity to improve the thermoelectric efficiency by tuning the external strain which may changing the location of the f-sates.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.542-545
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• 2011

Half-Heusler alloys are a potential thermoelectric material for use in high-temperature applications. In an attempt to produce half-Heusler thermoelectric materials with fine microstructures, TiCoSb was synthesized by the mechanical alloying of stoichiometric elemental powder compositions and then consolidated by vacuum hot pressing. The phase transformations during the mechanical alloying and hot consolidation process were investigated using XRD and SEM. A single-phase, half- Heusler allow was successfully produced by the mechanical alloying process, but a minor portion of the second phase of the CoSb formation was observed after the vacuum hot pressing. The thermoelectric properties as a function of the temperature were evaluated for the hot-pressed specimens. The Seebeck coefficients in the test range showed negative values, representing n-type conductivity, and the absolute value was found to be relatively low due to the existence of the second phase. It is shown that the electrical conductivity is relatively high and that the thermal conductivities are compatibly low in MA TiCoSb. The maximum ZT value was found to be relatively low in the test temperature range, possibly due to the lower Seebeck coefficient. The Hall mobility value appeared to be quite low, leading to the lower value of Seebeck coefficient. Thus, it is likely that the single phase produced by mechanical alloying process will show much higher ZT values after an excess Ti addition. It is also believed that further property enhancement can be obtained if appropriate dopants are selectively introduced into this MA TiCoSb System.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.375-381
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• 2002

N-type ${\beta}-FeSi_2$ with a nominal composition of $Fe_{0.98}Co_{0.02}Si_2$ powders has been produced by mechanical alloying process and consolidated by vacuum hot pressing. As-milled powders were of metastable state and fully transformed to ${\beta}-FeSi_2$ phase by subsequent isothermal annealing. However, as-consolidated $Fe_{0.98}Co_{0.02}Si_2$ consisted of untransformed mixture of ${\alpha}-Fe_2Si_ 5$ and $\varepsilon$-FeSi phases. Isothermal annealing has been carried out to induce the transformation to a thermoelectric semiconducting ${\beta}-FeSi_2$ phase. The transformation behavior of ${\beta}-FeSi_2$ was investigated by utilizing DTA, a modified TGA under magnetic field, SEM, and XRD analyses. Isothermal annealing at $830^{\circ}C$ in vacuum 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 were remarkably improved by isothermal annealing due to the transformation from metallic $\alpha$ and $\varepsilon$ phases to semiconducting phases.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.9 no.11
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• pp.1291-1296
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• 2014

The thermoelectric cooler is receiving great interest because of advantages such as the precise temperature control capability, the compact and lightweight cooler, and the mechanical vibrationless structure which enhances the reliability compared with the existing vapor compression cooler. However, it is not easy to design the optimal thermoelectric cooler which appropriate to the application because the thermal analysis should be necessary required. Accordingly, this paper studies the methodology of the modelling, sizing and thermal analysis of the thermoelectric cooler using SINDA/FLUINT analysis tool.

• Ceramist
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2019

Thermoelectric energy conversion has attracted much attention because it can convert heat into electric power directly through solid state device and vice versa. Current research is aimed at increasing the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ) by improving the power factor and reducing the thermal conductivity. Although there have been significant progresses in increasing ZT of material systems composed of Bi, Te, Ge, Pb, and etc. over the last few decades, their relatively high cost, toxicity, and the scarcity have hindered further development of thermoelectrics to expand practical applications. In this paper, we review the current status of research in the fields of nanostructured thermoelectric materials with eco-friendly and low cost elements, such as skutterudites and oxides, for mid-high temperature applications, highlighting the strategies to improve thermoelectric performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.686-687
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• 2006

The encapsulated induction melting and hot pressing were employed to prepare Fe-doped $CoSb_3$ skutterudites and their thermoelectric properties were investigated. Single phase $\delta-CoSb_3$ was successfully obtained by the subsequent heat treatment at 773K for 24 hours. Iron atoms acted as electron acceptors by substituting cobalt atoms. Thermoelectric properties were remarkably improved by the appropriate doping. $Co_{0.7}Fe_{0.3}Sb_3$ was found as an optimum composition for best thermoelectric properties in this work.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.435-438
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• 2005

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 for compensating the evaporation during the process. Temperature dependences of thermoelectric properties were investigated from 4 K to 300 K. Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity as well as thermoelectric figure of merit showed the discontinuity in variation at 242K, indicating the $\alpha-\beta$, phase transformation. Interestingly, it was found that lattice thermal conductivity by phonons is dominant in total thermal conductivity of $\alpha-\beta$. Therefore, it is expected that thermoelectric properties can be improved by reduction of lattice thermal conductivity inducing lattice scattering centers by doping and solid solution.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.377-383
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• 2011

Thermoelectric power, dc conductivity, and the dielectric relaxation properties of $La_2NiO_{4.03}$ are reported in the temperature range of 77 K - 300 K and in a frequency range of 20 Hz - 1 MHz. Thermoelectric power was positive below 300K. The measured thermoelectric power of $La_2NiO_{4.03}$ decreased linearly with temperature. The dc conductivity showed a temperature variation consistent with the variable range hopping mechanism at low temperatures and the adiabatic polaron hopping mechanism at high temperatures. The low temperature dc conductivity mechanism in $La_2NiO_{4.03}$ was analyzed using Mott's approach. The temperature dependence of thermoelectric power and dc conductivity suggests that the charge carriers responsible for conduction are strongly localized. The relaxation mechanism has been discussed in the frame of the electric modulus and loss spectra. The scaling behavior of the modulus and loss tangent suggests that the relaxation describes the same mechanism at various temperatures. The logarithmic angular frequency dependence of the loss peak is found to obey the Arrhenius law with activation energy of ~ 0.106eV. At low temperature, variable range hopping and large dielectric relaxation behavior for $La_2NiO_{4.03}$ are consistent with the polaronic nature of the charge carriers.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2004

Cooling technology has been a vital prerequisite for the rapid, if not explosive, growth of the electronic equipment industry. This has been especially true during the last 20 years with the advent of intergrated circuit chips and their applications in computers and related electronic products. The purpose of this study is to develop a telecommunication equipment cooling system using a thermoelectric module combined with cooling fan. Thermoelectric module is a device that can perform cooling only by input of electric power. In the present study, the cooling package using the thermoeletric module has been developed to improve the thermal performance. The cooling characteristics of the electronic chip was placed into the subrack and it can be rapidly assembled or disassembled in the equipment rack. As a preliminary experiment, the cooling performances between a conventional way using a cooling fin and a proposed method applying the thermoelectric module was comosed and analyzyed. The cooling performance at a simulated electronic component packaging a thermomodule operated well.

• 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.