Thermoelectric materials fabricated from clathrate compounds and other materials which form an inclusion complex and method for optimizing selected thermoelectric properties

A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric element formed in part from a clathrate compound having a crystal lattice structure comprising:

• a unit cell formed from atoms of a first material component having at least two cavities formed within the unit cell and sized to receive an atom of a second material component which is different from the atoms of the first material component;
• one atom of the second material component disposed within each of the cavities without forming a metallurgical bond with the atoms of the first material component;
• and
• the unit cell has the general configuration of a clathrate hydrate.

A thermoelectric device comprising:

• at least one thermoelectric element formed in part from a clathrate compound having a general formula selected from the group consisting of M8SiyGe46−y, M8SiySn46−y, M8GeySi46−y, M8GeySn♯−y, M8SnyGe46−y, or M8SnySi46−y and alloys of these compounds;
• where M represents alkali metal atoms, alkaline earth atoms, and europium;
• and
• 0≦y≦46.

A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric element formed in part from an inclusion complex having a first material component and a second material component which cooperate with each other to form a cystal lattice structure comprising:

• a unit cell formed from atoms of the first material component having at least two cavities sized to respectively receive an atom of the second material component therein;
• the atoms of the fist material component different from the second material component;
• the atoms of the second material component disposed with the respectie cavities without forming a metallurgical bond with adjacent atoms of the first material component;
• and
• wherein the inclusion complex material comprises a clathrate compound having a general formula of Sr8Ga16Si9Ge21.

A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric element form in part from an inclusion complex having a first material component and a second material component which cooperate with each other to form a crystal lattice structure comprising:

• a unit cell formed from atoms of the first material component having at least two cavities sized to respectively receive an atom of the second material component therein;
• the atoms of the first material component different from the second material component;
• the atoms of the second material component disposed within the respective cavities without forming a metallurgical bond with adjacent atoms of the first material component;
• and
• wherein the inclusion complex material comprises a clathrate compound having a general formula of Sr8Ga16−xGe30 +x
• where 0≦x≦16.

A thermoelectric device having at least one thermoelectric element formed in part from a clathrate compound having a crystal lattice structure comprising:

• a unit cell formed from atom of a first material compoent having at least two cavities formed witbin the unit cell and sized to receive an atom of a second material component which is different from the atoms of the first material component;
• one atom of the secoud material component disposed within each of the cavities without forming a metallurgical bond with the atoms of the first material component;
• the unit cell having the configuration of a clathrate hydrate;
• and
• the clathrate conmpound having a general formula of SrB−yGa16−xGe30+x.