Powder pressed thermoelectric materials and method of making same

Abstract

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.