Increasing Thermoelectric Performance by High-pressure, High-temperature Sintering
- 詳細技術說明
- Cornell researchers have developed a method of greatly increasing a semiconductor's thermoelectric performance, creating the potential for thermoelectrics to compete with mechanical and other forms of power generation on an efficiency basis
- *Abstract
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Cornell researchers have developed a method of greatly increasing a semiconductor's thermoelectric performance, creating the potential for thermoelectrics to compete with mechanical and other forms of power generation on an efficiency basis. The process involves exposing the semiconductor to elevated temperature and pressure for a period of time to increase its ZT (thermoelectric figure of merit) before recovering the material while maintaining this increased ZT. Virtually any type of high pressure, high temperature apparatus (including for example belt- and die-types) can be used in the process, which heats the semiconductor to a temperature above the sintering temperature at a pressure of several gigapascals for a time on the order of several minutes. A wide variety of semiconductors can be used including selenides antimonides, tellurides, sulfides, germanium compounds, and mixtures thereof, and test results have shown great potential for the process.
Potential Applications
- Power generation
- Solar conversion
Advantages
- Greatly increased thermoelectric performance, ZT
- Straight-forward process
- Applicable to a range of semiconductors
- *Licensing
- Carolyn A. Theodorecat42@cornell.edu(607) 254-4514
- 其他
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Patent application: PCT/US09/30569
- 國家/地區
- 美國
