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US 10,707,397 B2Granted
Systems, methods, and materials for cryogenic thermoelectric cooling
AssigneeUniversity of Houston System
InventorsZhifeng Ren, Machhindra Koirala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Materials and systems and methods of manufacture thereof that function as thermoelectric materials both in and near a cryogenic temperature range. In particular, the synthesis of heavy fermion materials that exhibit higher ZTs than previously achieved at cryogenic and near-cryogenic temperatures.
Drawings
Claims18
A method comprising:
- manufacturing a thermoelectric material at a first silver (Ag) concentration and manufacturing a thermoelectric material at a second Ag concentration, wherein the first Ag concentration is lower than the second Ag concentration, wherein manufacturing the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and manufacturing the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration comprise:
- forming an ingot comprising ytterbium (Yb), copper (Cu), and silver (Ag);
- forming a nanopowder from the ingot;
- and
- hot-pressing the nanopowder,
- wherein the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration have a formula:
- YbAgxCu5-x, wherein the ratio of Cu to Ag is about (4+x):(1−x) to (4−x)·1+x), wherein x is greater for the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration than the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration, and wherein the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration comprise a ZT of greater than 0.10 at below about 45 K;
- and
- preparing a segmented leg of a thermoelectric device having a lower temperature side and a higher temperature side, wherein an end of the segmented leg on the lower temperature side comprises the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and an end of the segmented leg on the higher temperature side comprises the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- manufacturing a thermoelectric material at a first silver (Ag) concentration and manufacturing a thermoelectric material at a second Ag concentration, wherein the first Ag concentration is lower than the second Ag concentration, wherein manufacturing the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and manufacturing the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration comprise:
- forming an ingot comprising ytterbium (Yb), copper (Cu), and silver (Ag);
- ball milling the ingot to form a nanopowder;
- and
- hot-pressing the nanopowder,
- wherein the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration have a formula:
- YbAgxCu5-x, wherein x is greater for the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration than the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration, and wherein the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration comprise a ZT of greater than 0.10 at below about 45 K;
- and
- preparing a segmented leg of a thermoelectric device having a lower temperature side and a higher temperature side, wherein an end of the segmented leg on the lower temperature side comprises the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and an end of the segmented leg on the higher temperature side comprises the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- manufacturing a thermoelectric material at a first silver (Ag) concentration and manufacturing a thermoelectric material at a second Ag concentration, wherein the first Ag concentration is lower than the second Ag concentration, wherein manufacturing the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and manufacturing the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration comprise:
- forming a homogeneous ingot comprising ytterbium (Yb), copper (Cu), and silver (Ag);
- forming a nanopowder by ball milling the homogeneous ingot;
- and
- hot-pressing the nanopowder,
- wherein the cryogenic thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration have a formula:
- YbAgxCu5-x, wherein the ratio of Cu to Ag is about (4+x):(1−x) to (4−x):1+x), and wherein x is greater for the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration than the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration, and wherein the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration comprise a thermal conductivity from about 5 Wm−1 K−1 to about 10 Wm−1 K−1 from about 40K to about 120K and a ZT above 0.1 at a temperature below about 75K;
- and
- preparing a segmented leg of a thermoelectric device having a lower temperature side and a higher temperature side, wherein an end of the segmented leg on the lower temperature side comprises the thermoelectric material at the first Ag concentration and an end of the segmented leg on the higher temperature side comprises the thermoelectric material at the second Ag concentration.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.