Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

On Van Nguyen

David D Allred

Jaime M Reyes

Michael W Putty

Jesus Gonzalez-Hernandez

Tumkur S Jayadev

Krystyna Dec

Nancy Jackett

Helen Davis

A multilayered article includes at least one periodically repeating set including a layer of amorphous crystallizable material and a layer of crystallization inhibiting material in generally superposed relationship. The layer of crystallizable material has its crystallization temperature raised by the presence of the inhibiting layer. Also disclosed are methods for the fabrication of the multilayered article.

Multilayered article including crystallization inhibiting layer and

Disclosed are a thermoelectric device and method of making the device. The device has a plurality of thermoelectric elements electrically in series and thermally in parallel, where the individual thermoelectric elements have a thermoelectric body formed of macroscopically disordered material with electrical contact surfaces at opposite ends and a multi-layered diffusion barrier coating on the electrical contact surfaces.

Method of manufacturing a thermoelectric element

New and improved compacted or powder pressed materials for thermoelectric applications include a body formed from compacted powder material including at least bismuth and tellurium and at least one highly electrically conductive phase. The materials are made in accordance with the general method of the present invention by forming a particulate mixture containing the constituent elements of a first compound including at least bismuth and tellurium and the constituent elements of a second compound capable of forming at least one highly electrically conductive phase, and thereafter, compressing at least a portion of said particulate mixture to form a compacted body of the material. In accordance with a first preferred embodiment, the first and second compounds are first separately prepared from their respective constituent elements. The first and second compounds are then combined and heated to form a melt. Thereafter, the melt is cooled to solid material form and then crushed to form the particulate mixture. In accordance with a second preferred embodiment, a melt is first formed from the second compound and the constituent elements of the first compound. The melt is then cooled to solid material form and then crushed to form the particulate mixture. In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the first and second compounds are first separately prepared from their respective constituent elements and then separately crushed into particulate form prior to forming the particulate mixture.

Powder pressed thermoelectric materials and method of making same

Growing community of inventors

Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

On Van Nguyen