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:
Oct. 21, 2014
Filed:
Dec. 03, 2007
Zhifeng Ren, Newton, MA (US);
Bed Poudel, Brighton, MA (US);
Gang Chen, Carlisle, MA (US);
Yucheng Lan, Newton, MA (US);
Dezhi Wang, Wellesley, MA (US);
Qing Hao, Cambridge, MA (US);
Mildred Dresselhaus, Arlington, MA (US);
Yi MA, Somerville, MA (US);
Xiao Yan, Brighton, MA (US);
Xiaoyuan Chen, Acton, MA (US);
Xiaowei Wang, Newton, MA (US);
Joshi R. Giri, Allston, MA (US);
BO Yu, Allston, MA (US);
Zhifeng Ren, Newton, MA (US);
Bed Poudel, Brighton, MA (US);
Gang Chen, Carlisle, MA (US);
Yucheng Lan, Newton, MA (US);
Dezhi Wang, Wellesley, MA (US);
Qing Hao, Cambridge, MA (US);
Mildred Dresselhaus, Arlington, MA (US);
Yi Ma, Somerville, MA (US);
Xiao Yan, Brighton, MA (US);
Xiaoyuan Chen, Acton, MA (US);
Xiaowei Wang, Newton, MA (US);
Joshi R. Giri, Allston, MA (US);
Bo Yu, Allston, MA (US);
Trustees of Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
Thermoelectric materials with high figures of merit, ZT values, are disclosed. In many instances, such materials include nano-sized domains (e.g., nanocrystalline), which are hypothesized to help increase the ZT value of the material (e.g., by increasing phonon scattering due to interfaces at grain boundaries or grain/inclusion boundaries). The ZT value of such materials can be greater than about 1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 2 and even higher. Such materials can be manufactured from a thermoelectric starting material by generating nanoparticles therefrom, or mechanically alloyed nanoparticles from elements which can be subsequently consolidated (e.g., via direct current induced hot press) into a new bulk material. Non-limiting examples of starting materials include bismuth, lead, and/or silicon-based materials, which can be alloyed, elemental, and/or doped. Various compositions and methods relating to aspects of nanostructured thermoelectric materials (e.g., modulation doping) are further disclosed.