Shockwave fabrication of thermoelectric materials
OwnerEdward Rubio, David Charles Nemirinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The explosive consolidation of semiconductor powders results in thermoelectric materials having reduced thermal conductivity without a concurrent reduction in electrical conductivity and thereby allows the construction of thermoelectric generators having improved conversion efficiencies of heat energy to electrical energy.
Claims9
A method for manufacturing thermoelectric elements from a conductive or semiconductive powder comprising the steps of
- green compacting said powder into a tube,
- applying a surrounding explosive force to the outside of said tube so as to bond said powder into a solid body without the occurrence of melting or crystallization, and
- machining said solid body to produce said thermoelectric elements.
A method for the consolidation of thermoelectric powders by an external explosive force so that the resulting bonded structure has a high density of dislocations and grain boundaries, thereby reducing thermal conductivity and resulting in an enhanced thermoelectric material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.