Enhanced thermoelectric power in bismuth nanocomposites
US6670539B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 30, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/833
Abstract
A thermoelectric material that exhibits enhanced thermoelectric power, and thus an improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit. Bismuth, as elemental bismuth, a bismuth alloy, a bismuth intermetallic compound, a mixture of these, or any of these including a dopant, is embedded in the pores of a host material having an average pore size in the range of about 5-15 nm. A method of making a composite thermoelectric material is also provided in which a porous host material is provided having an average pore size of about 5-15 nm, and a vapor of a bismuth-based material is caused to flow into the pores from a vapor inlet side of the host material to a vapor outlet side. The host material is then cooled from the vapor outlet side to progressively condense the vapor in the holes in the direction from the outlet side to the inlet side to progressively form nanowires of the bismuth-based material in the pores.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.