The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 27, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 23, 1998
Abstract
The present invention relates to a thermoelectric material containing CoSb.sub.3 compound for converting heat to electricity, and provides a p-type thermoelectric material of CoSb.sub.3 having a high power factor by achieving high Seebeck coefficient consistently with high electric conductivity in a material of CoSb.sub.3 system without causing increase in heat conductivity. By sintering Co.sub.0.07 Pt.sub.0.03 Sb.sub.3 alloy powder using the spark plasma sintering technique, the material is densified, while growth of grains is restricted, so that a higher electric conductivity is achieved with a heat conductivity maintained in a low level, and the figure of merit as a heat-transfer material is improved. Also, by providing such heat insulating layer as an oxide intermediately in a grain boundary of a compound of CoSb.sub.3 in a sintered body, the heat conductivity is reduced. Further, the Seebeck coefficient is increased by adding a rare earth metal to the thermoelectric material of CoSb.sub.3, and allowing it to be precipitated in grain boundaries of the sintered body.