# US 2018/0026170 A1 · Thermoelectric material and method for producing thermoelectric material

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- Number: US 2018/0026170 A1
- Document ID: US20180026170A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/445,570
- Filed: 2017-02-28
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: Tohoku University
- Applicants: Tohoku University
- Inventors: Yuzuru MIYAZAKI; Kei HAYASHI; Kunio YUBUTA; Haruki HAMADA; Mika SATO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026170A1

## CPC

- H10N 10/851: comprising inorganic compositions
- C22C 22/00: Alloys based on manganese
- H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 10/10: operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects
- H10N 10/8556: {comprising compounds containing germanium or silicon}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)

## Abstract

A thermoelectric material having improved thermoelectric properties and a method for producing the thermoelectric material are provided. The thermoelectric material contains (Mn1-x-yVxFey)Siγ (0.012≦x≦0.045, 0≦y≦0.06, 1.7≦γ≦1.8) and is produced by homogenously melting the raw materials including Mn, Si, and V mixed to a composition of the thermoelectric material, and then solidifying the melted raw materials at a cooling rate of 13 K/hour or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermoelectric material, containing (Mn1-x-yVxFey)Siσ (0.012≦x≦0.045, 0≦y≦0.06, and 1.7≦γ≦1.8).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric material according to claim 1, wherein a power factor S2σ (where S denotes the Seebeck coefficient, and σ denotes the electrical conductivity) at 700K to 900K is 1.8 mW/K2m or more, and a power factor S2σ at 300K to 1000K is 1.2 mW/K2m or more.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric material according to claim 1, wherein a power factor S2σ at 700K to 900K is 2.2 mW/K2m or more, and a power factor S2σ at 300K to 1000K is 1.4 mW/K2m or more.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric material according to claim 1, wherein the dimensionless figure of merit ZT (where Z denotes the figure of merit, and T denotes the absolute temperature) at 800K to 900K is 0.55 or more, and the dimensionless figure of merit ZT at 300K to 1000K is 0.15 or more.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric material according claim 1, wherein 0.025≦x≦0.045 and 0.01≦y≦0.045.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method for producing the thermoelectric material according to claim 1, comprising:
a melting step for homogeneously melting raw materials including Mn, Si, and V mixed to a composition of said thermoelectric material; and
a solidifying step for solidifying said melted raw materials at a cooling rate of 13K/hour or less.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method for producing the thermoelectric material according to claim 6, wherein said cooling rate is 1.5K/hour or less.