Thermoelectric materials and their manufacturing method

• US 10,038,132 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ko, Kyung-Moon, Kim, Tae-Hoon, Park, Cheol-Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoban, Matthew E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edmondson, Lynne
• Application Number:
  US14/914,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20160225971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 252 623 T, 25251914
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 19/007 Tellurides or selenides of metals C01B19/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/54 one element only
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/72 by d-values or two theta-values, e.g. as X-ray diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/32 Thermal properties
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/40 Electric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/851 comprising inorganic compositions
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/852 comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur

Abstract

Disclosed is a thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric performance. The thermoelectric material is expressed by Chemical Formula 1 below:
Cu_xSe_1-yQ_y  <Chemical Formula 1>

• • where Q is at least one element selected from the group consisting of S and Te, 2<x≤2.6 and 0<y<1.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric material, expressed by Chemical Formula 1 below:

Cu_xSe_1-yQ_y 

 

<

Chemical Formula 1>

where Q is 2<

x≤

2.6, and 0<

y<

0.1.

2. The thermoelectric material according to claim 1,

wherein in Chemical Formula 1, x satisfies a condition of x≤

2.2.

3. The thermoelectric material according to claim 1,

wherein in Chemical Formula 1, x satisfies a condition of x≤

2.1.

4. The thermoelectric material according to claim 1,

wherein in Chemical Formula 1, x satisfies a condition of 2.025≤

x.

5. The thermoelectric material according to claim 1,

wherein in Chemical Formula 1, y satisfies a condition of y≤

0.05.

6. A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material, the method comprising:

forming a mixture by weighing and mixing Cu, Se and Q according to Chemical Formula 1 defined in the claim 1; and

thermally treating the mixture to synthesize a compound expressed by Chemical Formula 1.

7. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to claim 6, further comprising:

sintering the compound under pressure after the compound forming step is performed.

8. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to claim 7,

wherein the pressure sintering step is performed by means of hot pressing or spark plasma sintering.

9. A thermoelectric conversion element, comprising a thermoelectric material defined in claim 1.

10. A thermoelectric power generator, comprising a thermoelectric material according to claim 1.