NANO-COMPLEX THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL, AND THERMOELECTRIC MODULE AND THERMOELECTRIC APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20130269739A1
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: HWANG, Sung-woo, KIM, Sang-il, AHN, Kyung-han, LEE, Kyu-hyoung
• Granted Patent: US 9,190,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/205
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/852 comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/857 comprising compositions changing continuously or discontinuously inside the material

Abstract

A thermoelectric material including: a thermoelectric matrix; and a plurality of metal nanoparticles disposed in the thermoelectric matrix, wherein a difference between a work function of thermoelectric matrix and a work function of a metal particle of the metal nanoparticles is about −1.0 electron volt to about 1.0 electron volt.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric material comprising:

a thermoelectric matrix; and

a plurality of metal nanoparticles disposed in the thermoelectric matrix,

wherein a difference between a work function of the thermoelectric matrix and a work function of a metal particle of the metal nanoparticles is about −

1.0 electron volt to about 1.0 electron volt.

2. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein a difference between the work function of the thermoelectric matrix and the work function of the metal nanoparticle is about −

0.41 electron volt to about 0.41 electron volt.

3. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein a difference between the work function of the thermoelectric matrix and an average work function of the plurality of metal nanoparticles is about −

1.0 electron volt to about 1.0 electron volt.

4. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric matrix is represented by Formula 1:

A_xM_y, Formula 1

wherein

A is one or more selected from Bi, Sb, Co, Pb, Mg, and Si,

M is one or more selected from Te, Se, Sb, Si, and Ge,

0<

x≦

4, and 0<

y≦

4.

5. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein a work function of the metal nanoparticles is about 3.5 electron volts to about 5.5 electron volts.

6. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the metal nanoparticles comprise one or more selected from Si, Zn, Pd, Co, Ni, Tb, Mo, Gd, Mn, and Fe.

7. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the metal nanoparticles are disposed on one or more selected from a surface of grain boundaries and at an interface of grain boundaries of the thermoelectric matrix.

8. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein an amount of the metal nanoparticles is about 0.05 part to about 1.0 part by weight, based on a total weight of the thermoelectric matrix.

9. The thermoelectric material of claim 8, wherein an amount of the metal nanoparticles is about 0.1 part to about 0.2 part by weight, based on a total weight of the thermoelectric matrix.

10. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein an average diameter of the metal nanoparticles is about 1 nanometer to about 50 nanometer.

11. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric matrix is a Bi—

Te alloy.

12. The thermoelectric material of claim 11, wherein the Bi—

Te alloy is represented by Formula 2;

A′

₂M′

₃,  

 

Formula 2

wherein A′

is one or more selected from Bi and Sb, and M′

is one or more selected from Te and Se.

13. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the metal nanoparticles comprise one or more selected from Si, Pd, Mn, and Co, and

the thermoelectric matrix is Bi_xSb_2-xTe₃ wherein 0.4≦

x≦

5.

14. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric matrix and the metal nanoparticles form a complex.

15. The thermoelectric material of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric matrix and the metal nanoparticles form a composite.

16. A thermoelectric element comprising the thermoelectric material of claim 1.

17. The thermoelectric element of claim 16, wherein the metallic nanoparticles form a concentration gradient between a first end and an opposite second end of the thermoelectric element.

18. A thermoelectric module comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode; and

the thermoelectric element of claim 16 disposed between the first and second electrodes.

19. A thermoelectric apparatus comprising:

a heat supply source; and

the thermoelectric module of claim 18, which is effective to absorb heat from the heat supply source.

20. A manufacturing method of the thermoelectric material of claim 1, the manufacturing method comprising:

providing a precursor of metal nanoparticles in an organic solvent;

adding a thermoelectric matrix powder to the precursor of metal nanoparticles in an organic solvent to form a mixture; and

drying and heat treating the mixture to manufacture the thermoelectric material.

21. The manufacturing method of claim 20, wherein the precursor of the metal nanoparticles comprises one or more selected from an acetate, an acetylacetonate, or an alkoxide of a metal.

22. The manufacturing method of claim 20, further comprising bulking the thermoelectric material by press sintering after the drying and the heat treating.

23. The manufacturing method of claim 20, wherein the contacting of the thermoelectric matrix powder and the precursor further comprises ultrasonic treating.

24. The manufacturing method of claim 20, wherein the precursor is a colloid.