# US 2014/0190544 A1 · Thermoelectric conversion material and producing method thereof, and thermoelectric conversion element using the same

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- Number: US 2014/0190544 A1
- Document ID: US20140190544A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/175,513
- Filed: 2014-02-07
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2008-08-28
- Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd.
- Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd.
- Inventors: Cheol-Hee PARK; Se-Hui SOHN; Seung-Tae HONG; Won-Jong KWON; Tae-Hoon KIM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190544A1

## CPC

- H10N 10/852: comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur
- C09K 11/881: {Chalcogenides}
- C09K 11/885: {with alkaline earth metals}
- H01B 1/08: oxides
- H01B 1/10: sulfides
- H10F 10/16: Photovoltaic cells having only PN heterojunction potential barriers
- H10F 10/161: comprising multiple PN heterojunctions, e.g. tandem cells
- H10F 77/12: Active materials
- H10F 77/121: comprising only selenium or only tellurium
- H10N 10/853: comprising arsenic, antimony or bismuth (H10N10/852 takes precedence)
- H10N 10/855: comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Compound semiconductors, expressed by the following formula: Bi1-xMxCuwOa-yQ1yTeb-zQ2z. Here, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, Cs, K, Na, Cd, Hg, Sn, Pb, Eu, Sm, Mn, Ga, In, Tl, As and Sb; Q1 and Q2 are at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, As and Sb; x, y, z, w, a, and b are 0≦x<1, 0<w≦1, 0.2<a<4, 0≦y<4, 0.2<b<4 and 0≦z<4. These compound semiconductors may be used for various applications such as solar cells or thermoelectric conversion elements, where they may replace compound semiconductors in common use, or be used along with compound semiconductors in common use.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-19. (canceled)

### Claim 20

The thermoelectric conversion materials having a natural super-lattice structure in which BiTeCu layers alternate with O layers along a c-crystalline axis,
wherein at least one of Bi, O and Te is partially substituted by M, Q1 and Q2, respectively, or Cu is partially deficient,
where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, Cs, K, Na, Cd, Hg, Sn, Pb, Mn, Ga, In, Tl, As and Sb; Q1 and Q2 are at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, As and Sb.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 20,
wherein, when each of x, y and z is a ratio of the substitution by M, Q1 and Q2 in Bi, O and Te, respectively, and w is a ratio of the deficiency in Cu, the x, y, z and w satisfy the following relations:
0≦x≦½, 0≦y≦½ and 0≦z≦½.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 20,
wherein the x, y and z satisfy the following relations:
x=0, y=0 and z=0.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 20,
wherein the x, y and z satisfy the following relation:
x+y+z>0.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 23,
wherein the x, y, z and w satisfy the following relations:
0≦x<0.15, 0≦y<0.2, 0≦z<0.5 and 0≦w≦0.2.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 23,
wherein the M is any one selected from the group consisting of Sr, Cd, Pb and Tl.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 23,
wherein the Q1 and Q2 are respectively Se or Sb.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 23,
wherein the x, y, z and w satisfy the following relations:
0≦x<0.15, 0≦y<0.2, 0≦z<0.5 and 0≦w≦0.2;
the M is any one selected from the group consisting of Sr, Cd, Pb and Tl; and
the Q1 and Q2 are respectively Se or Sb.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 27,
wherein the x, y, z and w satisfy the following relations:
0<x<0.15, y=0, z=0 and w=0; and
the M is any one selected from the group consisting of Sr, Cd, Pb and Tl.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 27,
wherein the x, y, z and w satisfy the following relations:
x=0, y=0, 0<z≦0.5 and w=0; and
the Q2 is Se or Sb.

### Claim 30 (depends on 20)

A method for producing thermoelectric conversion materials,
wherein powders of Bi2O3, Bi, Cu and Te are mixed and then sintered to produce the thermoelectric conversion materials defined in the claim 20.

### Claim 31 (depends on 20)

A method for producing thermoelectric conversion materials,
wherein Bi2O3, Bi, Cu, Te, and at least one selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, Cs, K, Na, Cd, Hg, Sn, Pb, Mn, Ga, In, Tl, As and Sb, or their oxides, are mixed and then sintered to produce the thermoelectric conversion materials defined in the claim 20.

### Claim 32 (depends on 20)

A method for producing thermoelectric conversion materials,
wherein Bi2O3, Bi, Cu, and Te are mixed with at least one selected from the group consisting of S, Se, As and Sb, or their oxides, and then at least one selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, Cs, K, Na, Cd, Hg, Sn, Pb, Mn, Ga, In, Tl, As and Sb, or their oxides, are selectively further mixed thereto and then sintered to produce the thermoelectric conversion materials defined in the claim 20.

### Claim 33 (depends on 30)

The method for producing thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 30,
wherein the sintering process is executed at a temperature of 400 to 570° C.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method for producing thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 31,
wherein the sintering process is executed at a temperature of 400 to 570° C.

### Claim 35 (depends on 32)

The method for producing thermoelectric conversion materials according to claim 32,
wherein the sintering process is executed at a temperature of 400 to 570° C.

### Claim 36 (depends on 20)

A thermoelectric conversion element, which includes the thermoelectric conversion materials defined in claim 20.