Lintec Corporation

Yuta Seki

Kunihisa Kato

Wataru Morita

Mutsumi Masumoto

Tsuyoshi Muto

Katsuhiko Horigome

Taku Nemoto

Toshiya Yamasaki

Provided is a thin thermoelectric conversion module provided with no support base material and including: an integrated body including an insulator configured to fill a gap defined by a chip of a P-type thermoelectric conversion material and a chip of an N-type thermoelectric conversion material, the chips being alternately arranged and spaced apart from each other; a common first electrode provided on one surface of the integrated body and joining one surface of the chip of the P-type thermoelectric conversion material and one surface of the chip of the N-type thermoelectric conversion material; and a common second electrode provided on another surface of the integrated body, facing the first electrode, and joining another surface of the chip of the N-type thermoelectric conversion material and another surface of the chip of the P-type thermoelectric conversion material, in which the first electrode and the second electrode provide electrically serial connection between the chip of the P-type thermoelectric conversion material and the chip of the N-type thermoelectric conversion material, and both surfaces of the thermoelectric conversion module are provided with no base material.

Thermoelectric conversion module

Provided is a thermoelectric conversion module including a thermoelectric conversion material layer that has high thermoelectric performance, the thermoelectric conversion material layer containing a thermoelectric conversion material with its electrical resistivity reduced. The thermoelectric conversion module includes the thermoelectric conversion material layer including the thermoelectric conversion material containing at least thermoelectric semiconductor particles. The thermoelectric conversion material layer has voids, and when a proportion of the area occupied by the thermoelectric conversion material within the area of a longitudinal cross-section that includes the center portion of the thermoelectric conversion material layer is defined as a filling ratio, the filling ratio is greater than 0.900 and less than 1.000.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion module that eliminates the need for supports and solder materials, allows collective and efficient production of a plurality of thin thermoelectric conversion modules, and includes the following steps (A) to (D): (A) disposing a chip of a P-type thermoelectric conversion material and a chip of an N-type thermoelectric conversion material on a support so as to be spaced apart from each other; (B) filling an insulator between the chip of the P-type thermoelectric conversion material and the chip of the N-type thermoelectric conversion material to obtain an integrated body including the chip of the P-type thermoelectric conversion material, the chip of the N-type thermoelectric conversion material, and the insulator; (C) peeling the integrated body obtained in step (B) from the support; and (D) connecting the chip of the P-type thermoelectric conversion material and the chip of the N-type thermoelectric conversion material via an electrode in the integrated body after step (C).

Method for manufacturing thermoelectric conversion module

Provided are: a thermoelectric conversion body that has high electrical conductivity, achieving high thermoelectric conversion efficiency when used in a thermoelectric conversion module, and is less susceptible to warpage during manufacture; a method for manufacturing the same; and a thermoelectric conversion module using the same. A thermoelectric conversion body that is a fired product of a composition containing a thermoelectric semiconductor material and a heat resistant resin, wherein, with the heat resistant resin being subjected to temperature elevation and a weight of the heat resistant resin at 400° C. being defined as 100%, a temperature at which the heat resistant resin undergoes a further 5% reduction in weight is 480° C. or lower; a thermoelectric conversion module including the thermoelectric conversion body; and a method for manufacturing the thermoelectric conversion body.

Thermoelectric conversion body, thermoelectric conversion module, and method for manufacturing thermoelectric conversion body

A thermoelectric conversion module having a further improved thermoelectric performance is provided. The thermoelectric conversion module includes: a base material; and a thermoelectric element layer including a thermoelectric semiconductor composition, wherein the thermoelectric semiconductor composition includes a thermoelectric semiconductor material, a heat resistant resin A, and an ionic liquid and/or inorganic ionic compound, and wherein the base material has a thermal resistance of 0.35 K/W or less.

A chip of thermoelectric conversion material may have a concave portion and may be capable of realizing high joining properties to an electrode. Such a chip of thermoelectric conversion material may have a concave on at least one surface of the chip of thermoelectric conversion material. The shape of such chips of may be rectangular parallelepiped, cubic, and/or columnar shape.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Yuta Seki