Nanocomposites with high thermoelectric figures of merit

A method of synthesizing a thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition, comprising

• generating a powder mixture comprising two or more sets of nano-sized semiconductor structures, and
• applying a compressive pressure to said mixture while heating the mixture to a selected temperature for a time duration selected to cause compaction of said sets of nano-sized structures into the thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition having a matrix with nano-sized inclusions.

A method of synthesizing a thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition, comprising

• generating a powder mixture comprising two or more sets of nano-sized semiconductor structures, and
• applying a compressive pressure to said mixture while heating the mixture to a selected temperature for a time duration selected to cause compaction of said sets of nano-sized structures into the thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition,
• wherein said compressive pressure and said time duration are selected to substantially inhibit formation of a homogenous alloy composed of materials forming said nano-sized structures while facilitating formation of the nanocomposite semiconductor composition.

A method of generating a thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition, comprising:

• generating a powder mixture comprising at least two sets of nanoparticles, wherein at least one set is formed of a host semiconductor material and at least another set is formed of an inclusion semiconductor material, and
• applying a compressive pressure to said mixture while heating the mixture to a selected temperature so as to cause compaction of said mixture into the thermoelectric nanocomposite semiconductor composition having said inclusion nanoparticles distributed in a host matrix formed of said host semiconductor material, wherein said inclusion particles in the nanocomposite are nano-sized.