# US 10,500,642 B2 · Thermoelectric materials synthesized by self-propagating high temperature synthesis process and methods thereof

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- Number: US 10,500,642 B2
- Document ID: US10500642B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/441,446
- Filed: 2014-03-17
- Published: 2016-03-03
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-19
- Assignees: Wuhan University of Technology
- Applicants: Wuhan University of Technology
- Inventors: Xinfeng Tang; Xianli Su; Qiang Zhang; Xin Cheng; Dongwang Yang; Gang Zheng; Fan Fu; Tao Liang; Qingjie Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500642B2

## CPC

- B22F 3/23: involving a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis or reaction sintering step {(making cermets by reaction sintering C22C1/051)}
- B22F 9/04: starting from solid material, e.g. by crushing, grinding or milling ({C22C1/1084 takes precedence}; crushing, grinding or milling, in general, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B02C)
- B22F 9/16: using chemical processes
- C22C 1/02: by melting {(C22C1/1036 takes precedence)}
- C22C 9/00: Alloys based on copper
- C22C 11/00: Alloys based on lead
- C22C 12/00: Alloys based on antimony or bismuth
- C22C 13/00: Alloys based on tin
- C22C 23/00: Alloys based on magnesium
- C22C 28/00: Alloys based on a metal not provided for in groups C22C5/00 - C22C27/00
- C22C 29/12: based on oxides
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)

## Abstract

The disclosure relates to thermoelectric materials prepared by self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) process combining with Plasma activated sintering and methods for preparing thereof. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the new criterion for combustion synthesis and the method for preparing the thermoelectric materials which meet the new criterion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of preparing a thermoelectric material, comprising:
1) weighing powders of reactants including Bi2O3, PbO, Bi, Cu, and Se according to a stoichiometric ratio of Bi2O3:PbO:Bi:Cu:Se=(1−p):3p:(1−p):3:3, where p=0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 or 0.1, mixing the powders in an agate mortar, and cold-pressing the powders into a pellet;
2) sealing the pellet in a silica tube under a pressure of 10−3 Pa, initiating a self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) by point-heating a portion of the pellet wherein, once the SHS starts, a wave of exothermic reactions passes through the remaining portion of the pellet, cooling down the pellet after reaction in air or quenched in salt water to obtain a cooled-down pellet containing Bi1−pPbpCuSe; and
3) crushing the cooled-down pellet obtained in step 2) into powder, and sintering the powder with plasma activated sintering (PAS) to form a bulk material, wherein parameters of the PAS include a reaction temperature above 670° C. and a reaction pressure of 30 MPa for 5-7 min, and a final product is a BiCuSeO based thermoelectric material.