Thermoelectric Materials and Methods for Synthesis Thereof
AssigneesThe Trustees of Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsZhifeng Ren, Qinyong Zhang, Qian Zhang, Gang Chen
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Abstract
Materials having improved thermoelectric properties are disclosed. In some embodiments, lead telluride/selenide based materials with improved figure of merit and mechanical properties are disclosed. In some embodiments, the lead telluride/selenide based materials of the present disclosure are p-type thermoelectric materials formed by adding sodium (Na), silicon (Si) or both to thallium doped lead telluride materials. In some embodiments, the lead telluride/selenide based materials are formed by doping lead telluride/selenides with potassium.
Claims21
A thermoelectric material having a general formula TlaPb1-aTe1-xSexSiyNaz, where a has a value between about 0 and about 0.04, x has a value between about 0 and about 1, y has a value between about 0 and about 0.05, and z has a value between about 0 and about 0.03.
A thermoelectric material having a general formula KxPb1-xTe1-ySey, where x has a value between about 0 and about 0.03 and y has a value between about 0 and about 1.
A method of synthesis of a thermoelectric material comprising:
- generating a plurality of nanoparticles from a starting material comprising lead, tellurium, selenium and one or more dopants selected from the group consisting of sodium, silicon or thallium in sufficient amounts according to a general formula TlaPb1-aTe1-xSexSiyNaz, where a has a value between about 0 and about 0.04, x has a value between about 0 and about 1, y has a value between about 0 and about 0.05, and z has a value between about 0 and about 0.03;
- and
- consolidating the nanoparticles at elevated pressure and temperature.
A method of synthesis of a thermoelectric material comprising:
- generating a plurality of nanoparticles from a starting material comprising lead, tellurium, selenium and potassium in sufficient amounts according to a general formula KxPb1-xTe1-ySey, where x has a value between about 0 and about 0.03 and y has a value between about 0 and about 1;
- and
- consolidating the nanoparticles at elevated pressure and temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.