Chalcogenide Containing (s, O, Te, Se) Patents (Class 136/238)
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Patent number: 7851692Abstract: A thermoelectric material has a composition expressed by (TipHfqZr1-p-q)xCoy(Sb1-rSnr)100-x-y (0.1<p?0.3, 0.1<q?0.3, 0.1<r?0.8, 30?x?35 atomic %, and 30?y?35 atomic %), and includes a phase having an MgAgAs crystal structure as a main phase.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2007Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Shinya Sakurada, Naoki Shutoh
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Patent number: 7851691Abstract: High performance thin film thermoelectric couples and methods of making the same are disclosed. Such couples allow fabrication of at least microwatt to watt-level power supply devices operating at voltages greater than one volt even when activated by only small temperature differences.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2007Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: John G. DeSteese, Larry C. Olsen, Peter M. Martin
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Patent number: 7847179Abstract: A process for producing bulk thermoelectric compositions containing nanoscale inclusions is described. The thermoelectric compositions have a higher figure of merit (ZT) than without the inclusions. The compositions are useful for power generation and in heat pumps for instance.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2006Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State UniversityInventors: Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, John Androulakis, Joseph R. Sootsman
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Publication number: 20100294326Abstract: The present invention realizes a thermoelectric conversion material having excellent thermoelectric performance over a wide temperature range, and a thermoelectric conversion module providing excellent junctions between thermoelectric conversion materials and electrodes. The present invention provides an R-T-M-X-N thermoelectric conversion material that has a structure expressed by the following formula: RrTt?mMmXx?nNn (0<r?1, 3?t?m?5, 0?m?0.5, 10?x?15, 0?n?2), where R represents three or more elements selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements, alkali metal elements, alkaline-earth metal elements, group 4 elements, and group 13 elements, T represents at least one element selected from Fe and Co, M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Os, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, and Au, X represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of P, As, Sb, and Bi, and N represents at least one element selected from Se and Te.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2009Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: FURUKAWA CO., LTD.Inventors: Junqing Guo, Shunichi Ochi, Huiyuan Geng, Takahiro Ochi, Satoru Ito
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Publication number: 20100252086Abstract: A thermoelectric element, which has higher thermoelectric properties and shows an enlarged temperature difference between the both ends thereof is provided. A thermoelectric module having such thermoelectric element is also provided. The thermoelectric element having a pillar shape and having one end face and the other end face comprises; a first region containing a central axis; and a second region located at outside of the first region and having a protrusion which protrudes toward the central axis, wherein the first region has a thermal conductivity different from that of the second region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2008Publication date: October 7, 2010Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuyuki Fujie
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Patent number: 7807917Abstract: New thermoelectric materials and devices are disclosed for application to high efficiency thermoelectric power generation. New functional materials based on oxides, rare-earth-oxides, rare-earth-nitrides, rare-earth phosphides, copper-rare-earth oxides, silicon-rare-earth-oxides, germanium-rare-earth-oxides and bismuth rare-earth-oxides are disclosed. Addition of nitrogen and phosphorus are disclosed to optimize the oxide material properties for thermoelectric conversion efficiency. New devices based on bulk and multilayer thermoelectric materials are described. New devices based on bulk and multilayer thermoelectric materials using combinations of at least one of thermoelectric and pyroelectric and ferroelectric materials are described. Thermoelectric devices based on vertical pillar and planar architectures are disclosed. The advantage of the planar thermoelectric effect allows utility for large area applications and is scalable for large scale power generation plants.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2007Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Translucent, Inc.Inventor: Petar B. Atanackovic
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Patent number: 7804019Abstract: A substrate is provided including a growth surface that is offcut relative to a plane defined by a crystallographic orientation of the substrate at an offcut angle of about 5 degrees to about 45 degrees. A thermoelectric film is epitaxially grown on the growth surface. A crystallographic orientation of the thermoelectric film may be tilted about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees relative to the growth surface. The growth surface of the substrate may also be patterned to define a plurality of mesas protruding therefrom prior to epitaxial growth of the thermoelectric film. Related methods and thermoelectric devices are also discussed.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2008Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Nextreme Thermal Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Pierce, Robert P. Vaudo
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Publication number: 20100236596Abstract: An anisotropically elongated thermoelectric nanocomposite includes a thermoelectric material.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2009Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicants: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGOInventors: Sang-mock LEE, Prabhakar BANDARU, Sung-ho JIN
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Publication number: 20100218796Abstract: Provided is a thermoelectric conversion module. This thermoelectric conversion module comprises a pair of substrates facing each other, a plurality of p-type thermoelectric conversion elements and a plurality of n-type thermoelectric conversion elements arranged between the paired substrates, a plurality of electrodes mounted individually on the paired substrates, connecting individual paired end faces of the p-type thermoelectric conversion elements and the n-type thermoelectric conversion elements electrically with each other, and connecting the p-type thermoelectric conversion elements and the n-type thermoelectric conversion elements electrically in series alternately, and a plurality of bonding members for bonding the p-type thermoelectric conversion elements and the n-type thermoelectric conversion elements individually with the electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2008Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicant: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITEDInventor: Yuichi Hiroyama
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Patent number: 7767564Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical device that comprises a first and a second fiber having a core of thermoelectric material embedded in an electrically insulating material, and a conductor. The first fiber is doped with a first type of impurity, while the second fiber is doped with a second type of impurity. A conductor is coupled to the first fiber to induce current flow between the first and second fibers.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2007Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: ZT3 Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Biprodas Dutta
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Patent number: 7763793Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material is provided that has not only a higher thermoelectric performance as compared to conventional ones but also semiconducting temperature dependence, i.e. properties that the electrical resistivity decreases with an increase in temperature. The thermoelectric conversion material contains a substance having a layered bronze structure represented by a formula (Bi2A2O4)0.5(Co1-xRhx)O2, where A is an alkaline-earth metal element and x is a numerical value of 0.4 to 0.8. The thermoelectric conversion material of the present invention exhibits good thermoelectric properties over a wide temperature range.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2007Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Akihiro Sakai, Satoshi Okada
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Patent number: 7763791Abstract: A thermoelectric film is disclosed. The thermoelectric film includes a substrate that is substantially electrically non-conductive and flexible and a thermoelectric material that is deposited on at least one surface of the substrate. The thermoelectric film also includes multiple cracks oriented in a predetermined direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2006Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Bao Feng, Andrew McGilvray, Bo Shi
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Publication number: 20100175734Abstract: A thermoelectric nanowire and a method of manufacturing the same, in which an oxide layer and a thermoelectric material layer, both of which have different thermal expansion coefficients, are stacked on a substrate, and a single crystal thermoelectric nanowire is grown from a thermoelectric material using the compressive stress caused by the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients. The method includes preparing a substrate on which an oxide layer is formed, forming a plurality of nanoparticles, each of which includes aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), iron (Fe) or oxides thereof, on the oxide layer, forming a thermoelectric material thin film, which has thermoelectric properties, above the oxide layer so as to include the nanoparticles formed on the oxide layer, heat-treating the substrate having the thermoelectric material thin film to grow the thermoelectric nanowire containing the nanoparticles, and cooling the substrate at room temperature after the heat-treatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2010Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei UniversityInventors: Woo Young Lee, Jin Hee Ham, Seung Hyun Lee, Jong Wook Roh, Hyun Su Kim, Woo Chul Kim
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Publication number: 20100170553Abstract: A thermoelectric material containing a dichalcogenide compound represented by Formula 1 and having low thermoelectric conductivity and high Seebeck coefficient: RaTbX2?nYn??(1) wherein R is a rare earth element, T includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Group 1 elements, Group 2 elements, and a transition metal, X includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, and Te, Y is different from X and includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, P, As, Sb, Bi, C, Si, Ge, Sn, B, Al, Ga and In, a is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1, b is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1, and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 2.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2010Publication date: July 8, 2010Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTDInventors: Jong-soo RHYEE, Sang-mock LEE
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Patent number: 7745720Abstract: A thermoelectric material includes a composition represented by the following formula (A): (Tia1Zrb1Hfc1)xNiySn100-x-y??(A) where 0<a1<1, 0<b1<1, 0<c1<1, a1+b1+c1=1, 30?x?35, and 30?y?35. The composition includes at least two MgAgAs crystal phases different in a lattice constant, and, assuming that X-ray diffraction peak intensity from a (422) diffraction plane of a first MgAgAs crystal phase having a smallest lattice constant and X-ray diffraction peak intensity from a (422) diffraction plane of a second MgAgAs crystal phase having a largest lattice constant be I1 and I2, respectively, a value of I1/(I1+I2) is in a range of 0.2 to 0.8.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinya Sakurada, Naoki Shutoh, Shinsuke Hirono
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Patent number: 7732704Abstract: The present invention provides an electrically conductive paste for connecting thermoelectric materials, the paste comprising a specific powdery oxide and at least one powdery electrically conductive metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, and alloys containing at least one of these metals. By connecting a thermoelectric material to an electrically conductive substrate with the electrically conductive paste of the invention, a suitable electroconductivity is imparted to the connecting portion of the thermoelectric element. Further, the thermal expansion coefficient of the connecting portion can be made close to that of the thermoelectric material. Therefore, even when high-temperature power generation is repeated, separation at the connecting portion is prevented and a favorable thermoelectric performance can be maintained.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2004Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventor: Ryoji Funahashi
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Publication number: 20100095997Abstract: A thermoelectric device (31) includes a plurality of alternating p-type and n-type semiconductor thermoelectric elements (32, 34, 36; 33, 35 37) the elements (32-37) being separated by electrically and thermally conductive interconnects (40-45), alternating interconnects (40-44) extending in an opposite direction from interconnects (41-45) interspersed therewith. Each thin-film element comprises several hundred thermoelectric alloy A superlattice thin-films interspersed with several hundred thermoelectric alloy B superlattice thin-films, the thin-film elements being between 5 and 25 microns thick and preferably over 10 microns thick. The thin-film elements may be interspersed with opposite type thin-film elements or with opposite type bulk elements (33a, 34a). The interconnects are preferably joined to the elements by diffusion bonding.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2008Publication date: April 22, 2010Inventors: Dirk N. Weiss, Thomas D. Radcliff, Rhonda R. Willigan
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Patent number: 7648552Abstract: A low-cost filled skutterudite for advanced thermoelectric applications is disclosed. The filled skutterudite uses the relatively low-cost mischmetal, either alone or in addition to rare earth elements, as a starting material for guest or filler atoms.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2004Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Jihui Yang, Gregory P. Meisner
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Patent number: 7649139Abstract: The present invention provides a thermoelectric element in which a thin film of p-type thermoelectric material and a thin film of n-type thermoelectric material, which are formed on an electrically insulating substrate, are electrically connected, in which the p-type thermoelectric material and the n-type thermoelectric material are selected from specific complex oxides with a positive Seebeck coefficient and specific complex oxides with a negative Seebeck coefficient, respectively. The present invention also provides a thermoelectric module using the thermoelectric element(s) and a thermoelectric conversion method. In the thermoelectric element of the present invention, since a p-type thermoelectric material and an n-type thermoelectric material are formed into a thin film on an electrically insulating substrate, the thermoelectric element of the invention can be formed on substrates having various shapes, thereby providing thermoelectric elements having various shapes.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2005Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Toshiyuki Mihara, Ryoji Funahashi, Jun Akedo, Sou Baba, Masashi Mikami
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Patent number: 7629531Abstract: A thermoelectric generator has a top plate disposed in spaced relation above a bottom plate. A series of foil segments are electrically and mechanically connected end-to-end to generate a foil assembly that is spirally wound and in thermal contact with the bottom and top plates. Each foil segment comprises a substrate having a series of spaced alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs disposed in parallel arrangement on the front substrate surface. Each of the n-type and p-type legs is formed of a bismuth telluride-based thermoelectric material having a thickness of about 10-100 microns, a width of about 10-100 microns and a length of about 100-500 microns. The alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs are electrically connected in series and thermally connected in parallel such that a temperature differential between the bottom and top plates results in the generation of power.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2006Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: Digital Angel CorporationInventor: Ingo Stark
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Patent number: 7592535Abstract: A thermoelectric material of the general formula Ag1?XMmM?Q2+m, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Pb, Sn, Ca, Sr, Ba, divalent transition metals, and combinations thereof; M? is selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sb, and combinations thereof; Q is selected from the group consisting of Se, Te, S, and combinations thereof; 8?m?24; and 0.01?x?0.7. In embodiments of the invention, the compositions exhibit n-type semiconductor properties. In preferred embodiments, x is from 0.1 to 0.3, and m is from 10 to 18. The compositions may be synthesized by adding stoichiometric amounts of starting materials comprising Ag, M, M?, and Q to a reaction vessel, heating the starting materials to a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to melt the materials, and cooling the reaction product at a controlled rate of cooling.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2004Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Board of Trustees operating Michingan State UniversityInventors: Mercouri Kanatzidis, Kuei-Fang Hsu
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Patent number: 7586033Abstract: The present invention generally relates to binary or higher order semiconductor nanoparticles doped with a metallic element, and thermoelectric compositions incorporating such nanoparticles. In one aspect, the present invention provides a thermoelectric composition comprising a plurality of nanoparticles each of which includes an alloy matrix formed of a Group IV element and Group VI element and a metallic dopant distributed within the matrix.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2005Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Trustees of Boston CollegeInventors: Zhifeng Ren, Gang Chen, Bed Poudel, Shankar Kumar, Wenzhong Wang, Mildred Dresselhaus
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Publication number: 20090205695Abstract: An improved design for maintaining nanometer separation between electrodes in tunneling, thermo-tunneling, diode, thermionic, thermoelectric, thermo-photovoltaic and other devices is disclosed. At least one electrode is of a curved shape. All embodiments reduce the thermal conduction between the two electrodes when compared to the prior art. Some embodiments provide a large tunneling area surrounding a small contact area. Other embodiments remove the contact area completely. The end result is an electronic device that maintains two closely spaced parallel electrodes in stable equilibrium with a nanometer gap there-between over a large area in a simple configuration for simplified manufacturability and use to convert heat to electricity or electricity to cooling.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: TEMPRONICS, INC.Inventor: Tarek Makansi
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Publication number: 20090205694Abstract: A thermoelectric generation device is configured for mounting on cooling tubes of a heat exchanger of a computer room air conditioning unit in a data center. A first type of Seebeck material and a second type of Seebeck material are arranged in a matrix and connected in series. An electrically insulating, but thermally conducting plate is located on either side of the device. The device is mounted physically on cooling tubes of the heat exchanger and exposed on the other side to the warm air environment. As a result of the temperature difference a voltage is generated that may be used to power an electrical load connected thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventors: Cary M. Huettner, Joseph Kuczynski, Robert E. Meyer, III, Timothy J. Tofil
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Patent number: 7572532Abstract: The invention relates to an oxide material of general formula (I) A2?x?yA?XA?yM1?z M?Z04+?, wherein A and A? are independently a metal cation of a group formed by lanthanides and/or alkalis and/or alkaline earths, A? is a cationic gap, i.e. a cation vacancy A and/or A?, M and M? are independently a metal of a group formed by transition metals such as 0<y<0.30, preferably 0<y=0.20; 0<?<0.25, preferably 0<?<0.10; 0=x=1; and 0=z=1. An air electrode containing said material and an electric power producing device in the form of a fuel cell provided with at least one electrochemical cell comprising said electrode are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2005Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignees: Electricite de France, Centre National de la RechercheInventors: Philippe Stevens, Emmanuelle Boehm, Jean-Marc Basset, Fabrice Mauvy, Jean-Claude Grenier
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Patent number: 7569763Abstract: A solid-state energy converter with a semiconductor or semiconductor-metal implementation is provided for conversion of thermal energy to electric energy, or electric energy to refrigeration. In n-type heat-to-electricity embodiments, a highly doped n* emitter region made of a metal or semiconductor injects carriers into an n-type gap region. A p-type layer is positioned between the emitter region and gap region, allowing for discontinuity of corresponding Fermi-levels and forming a potential barrier to sort electrons by energy. Additional p-type layers can optionally be formed on the collector side of the converter. One type of these layers with higher carrier concentration (p*) serves as a blocking layer at the cold side of the converter, and another layer (p**) with carrier concentration close to the gap reduces a thermoelectric back flow component. Ohmic contacts on both sides of the device close the electrical circuit through an external load to convert heat to electricity.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Micropower Global LimitedInventors: Yan R. Kucherov, Peter L. Hagelstein
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Patent number: 7560639Abstract: The present invention provides an electric power generation method using a thermoelectric power generation element, a thermoelectric power generation element, and a thermoelectric power generation device, each of which has higher thermoelectric power generation performance than conventional ones and can be used for more applications.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2008Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Tsutomu Kanno, Hideaki Adachi, Satoshi Yotsuhashi
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Patent number: 7560053Abstract: Thermoelectric materials with a high Seebeck coefficient and a large power factor are provided. The materials are impact resistant and resistant to heat-distortion. Such materials include a rare earth element, Bi, and Te and have a rhombohedral crystal structure. In some examples, the rare earth element is selected from the group consisting of Ce, Sm and Yb. Such materials can be formed as films with a thickness of from 0.01 to 500 ?m on a resin substrate. Production methods may include laminating different types of layers of thickness of 20 nm or less and heat-treating the resultant composition-modulated composite. The material may be separated from a substrate for sintering.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2006Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Inventors: Nobuyoshi Imaoka, Isao Morimoto, Lance L. Miller, Robert Schneidmiller, David Charles Johnson
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Patent number: 7559215Abstract: The present invention provides a method of drawing a thermoelectrically active material in a glass cladding, comprising sealing off one end of a glass tube such that the tube has an open end and a closed end, introducing the thermoelectrically active material inside the glass tube and evacuating the tube by attaching the open end to a vacuum pump, heating a portion of the glass tube such that the glass partially melts and collapses under the vacuum such that the partially melted glass tube provides an ampoule containing the thermoelectric material to be used in a first drawing operation, introducing the ampoule containing the thermoelectric material into a heating device, increasing the temperature within the heating device such that the glass tube melts just enough for it to be drawn and drawing fibers of glass clad thermoelectrically active material.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: ZT3 Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Biprodas Dutta, Ian L. Pegg, Robert K. Mohr, Jugdersuren Battogtokh
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Patent number: 7554029Abstract: The present invention provides a novel complex oxide capable of achieving high performance as a p-type thermoelectric material. The complex oxide comprises a layer-structured oxide represented by the formula BiaPbbM1cCOdM2eOf wherein M1 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Li, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al, Y, and lanthanoids; M2 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, W, Nb, Ta, and Ag; 1.8?a?2.5; 0?b?0.5; 1.8?c?2.5; 1.6?d?2.5; 0?e?0.5; and 8?f?10; and at least one interlayer component selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, HgF2, HgCl2, HgBr2, HgI2, TlF3, TlCl3, TlBr3, TlI3, BiF3, BiCl3, BiBr3, BiI3, PbF2, PbCl2, PbBr2, and PbI2. The interlayer component being present between layers of the layer-structured oxide.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2005Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Ryoji Funahashi, Emmanuel Guilmeau
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Patent number: 7530239Abstract: The present invention provides a method of drawing nanowires, comprising sealing off one end of a glass tube such that the tube has an open end and a closed end, introducing a nanowire material inside the glass tube and evacuating the tube by attaching the open end to a vacuum pump, heating a portion of the glass tube such that the glass partially melts under the vacuum such that the partially melted glass tube provides an ampoule containing the nanowire material to be used in a first drawing operation, introducing the ampoule containing the nanowire material into a heating device, increasing the temperature within the heating device such that the glass tube melts just enough for it to be drawn and drawing fibers of glass clad nanowire material. The invention further provides a method for bunching together such fibers and redrawing them one or more times to produce arrays of nanowires clad in glass.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2007Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: ZT3 Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Biprodas Dutta, Ian L. Pegg, Robert K. Mohr, Jugdersuren Battogtokh
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Patent number: 7521629Abstract: A nitrogen-containing thermoelectric material, which has an element composition represented by: AlzGayInxMuRvOsNt??(A) or AlzGayInxMuRvDwNm??(B) (wherein M represents a transition element; R represents a rare earth element; D represents at least one element selected from elements of the Group IV or II; 0?z?0.7, 0?y?0.7, 0.2?x?1.0, 0?u?0.7, 0?v?0.05, 0.9?s+t?1.7, 0.4?s?1.2, 0?w?0.2, and 0.9?m?1.1; and x+y+z=1), and has an absolute value of a Seebeck coefficient of 40 ?V/K or more at a temperature of 100° C. or more. These thermoelectric materials comprise elements having low toxicity, are excellent in a heat resistance, a chemical resistance and the like, and have a high thermoelectric transforming efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2003Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Shigeo Yamaguchi, Yasuo Iwamura, Atsushi Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20090072078Abstract: A new High Altitude Airship (HAA) capable of various extended applications and mission scenarios utilizing inventive onboard energy harvesting and power distribution systems. The power technology comprises an advanced thermoelectric (ATE) thermal energy conversion system. The high efficiency of multiple stages of ATE materials in a tandem mode, each suited for best performance within a particular temperature range, permits the ATE system to generate a high quantity of harvested energy for the extended mission scenarios. When the figure of merit 5 is considered, the cascaded efficiency of the three-stage ATE system approaches an efficiency greater than 60 percent.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2007Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicants: Space AdministrationInventors: Sang H. Choi, James R. Elliott, JR., Glen C. King, Yeonjoon Park, Jae-Woo Kim, Sang-Hyon Chu
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Publication number: 20090025774Abstract: The invention relates to a thermoelectric means (60) that can be woven or knitted, taking the form of an elongate body and having on its surface at least one converter for converting thermal energy into electrical energy. The invention also relates to a structure for converting a temperature difference over the thickness of the structure into electricity, which consists of an assembly formed by the interlacement of textile fibers (8), of said thermoelectric means (60) and of connection means (7).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Inventors: Marc Plissonnier, Yannick Breton, Isabelle Chartier, Thierry Lanier, Christelle Navone
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Patent number: 7465871Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to nanocomposite thermoelectric materials that exhibit enhanced thermoelectric properties. The nanocomposite materials include two or more components, with at least one of the components forming nano-sized structures within the composite material. The components are chosen such that thermal conductivity of the composite is decreased without substantially diminishing the composite's electrical conductivity. Suitable component materials exhibit similar electronic band structures. For example, a band-edge gap between at least one of a conduction band or a valence band of one component material and a corresponding band of the other component material at interfaces between the components can be less than about 5kBT, wherein kB is the Boltzman constant and T is an average temperature of said nanocomposite composition.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2004Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Trustees of Boston CollegeInventors: Gang Chen, Zhifeng Ren, Mildred Dresselhaus
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Publication number: 20080295879Abstract: New thermoelectric materials and devices are disclosed for application to high efficiency thermoelectric power generation. New functional materials based on oxides, rare-earth-oxides, rare-earth-nitrides, rare-earth phosphides, copper-rare-earth oxides, silicon-rare-earth-oxides, germanium-rare-earth-oxides and bismuth rare-earth-oxides are disclosed. Addition of nitrogen and phosphorus are disclosed to optimize the oxide material properties for thermoelectric conversion efficiency. New devices based on bulk and multilayer thermoelectric materials are described. New devices based on bulk and multilayer thermoelectric materials using combinations of at least one of thermoelectric and pyroelectric and ferroelectric materials are described. Thermoelectric devices based on vertical pillar and planar architectures are disclosed. The advantage of the planar thermoelectric effect allows utility for large area applications and is scalable for large scale power generation plants.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2007Publication date: December 4, 2008Applicant: Translucent Photonics, Inc.Inventor: Petar B. Atanackovic
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Patent number: 7435896Abstract: With conventional thermoelectric conversion materials, their thermoelectric conversion performance has been insufficient, and a problem has been to achieve stable performance in an oxidizing atmosphere and an air atmosphere. In view of this, according to the present invention, a thermoelectric material is made of a complex oxide that has vanadium oxide as its main component and is represented by the general formula AxVOx+1.5+d. Here, A is at least one selected from an alkali element, an alkaline-earth element, and a rare-earth element, x is a numerical value within the range of 0.2 to 2, and d is a non-stoichiometric ratio of oxygen and is a numerical value within the range of from ?1 to 1.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideaki Adachi, Yasunari Sugita, Satoshi Yotsuhashi, Tsutomu Kanno
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Publication number: 20080230105Abstract: The present invention provides an electric power generation method using a thermoelectric power generation element, a thermoelectric power generation element, and a thermoelectric power generation device, each of which has higher thermoelectric power generation performance than conventional ones and can be used for more applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2008Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Tsutomu KANNO, Hideaki Adachi, Satoshi Yotsuhashi
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Publication number: 20080223427Abstract: A thermoelectric converter including plural thermoelectric conversion modules connected in series by having p-type semiconductors and n-type semiconductors alternately provided in through holes of a ceramic honeycomb, respectively. Ends of the p-type semiconductors are connected to ends of the n-type semiconductors on both sides of the through holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: IBIDEN CO., LTD.Inventor: Kazushige OHNO
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Publication number: 20080223426Abstract: A thermoelectric converter including p-type semiconductors and n-type semiconductors alternately provided in corresponding first and second through holes, respectively, in a ceramic honeycomb. The first and second through holes have different cross-sectional shapes and are alternately arranged. The semiconductors have respective first and second ends thereof successively connected to different ones of the semiconductors on first and second sides, respectively, of the corresponding through holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: IBIDEN CO., LTD.Inventor: Kazushige OHNO
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Publication number: 20080202575Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicants: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT), The Trustees of Boston CollegeInventors: Zhifeng Ren, Bed Poudel, Gang Chen, Yucheng Lan, Dezhi Wang, Qing Hao, Mildred Dresselhaus, Yi Ma, Xiao Yan, Xiaoyuan Chen, Xiaowei Wang, Joshi R. Giri, Bo Yu
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Patent number: 7417186Abstract: To provide a thermoelectric conversion material having semiconductor-like temperature dependence, that is, the property that electric resistivity decreases with increasing temperature, and having high thermoelectric performance. The present invention is a thermoelectric conversion material including a semiconductor phase having a layered bronze structure expressed by a formula of Ay(Co1-xRhx)O2, where A is an alkaline-earth metal, y is 0.2 to 0.8, and x is 0.4 to 0.6.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventor: Akihiro Sakai
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Publication number: 20080178920Abstract: Certain embodiments disclosed herein are directed to devices for cooling. In certain examples, a thermoelectric device comprising a substrate and a superlattice coupled to the substrate is disclosed. In some examples, the superlattice includes a first semi-conducting material and a second semi-conducting material coupled to the first semi-conducting material to provide an interface between the first and second semi-conducting materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2007Publication date: July 31, 2008Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONInventor: John Ullo
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Publication number: 20080173344Abstract: A thermoelectric material includes a composite having a first electrically conducting component and second low thermal conductivity component. The first component may include a semiconductor and the second component may include an inorganic oxide. The thermoelectric composite includes a network of the first component having nanoparticles of the second component dispersed in the network.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: July 24, 2008Inventors: Minjuan Zhang, Yunfeng Lu
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Publication number: 20080169016Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical device that comprises a first and a second fiber having a core of thermoelectric material embedded in an electrically insulating material, and a conductor. The first fiber is doped with a first type of impurity, while the second fiber is doped with a second type of impurity. A conductor is coupled to the first fiber to induce current flow between the first and second fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: July 17, 2008Inventor: Biprodas DUTTA
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Patent number: 7365265Abstract: A thermoelectric material having enhanced Seebeck coefficient is characterized by a microstructure comprising nanoscale Pb inclusions dispersed in matrix substantially composed of PbTe. The excess Pb is obtained either by adding Pb in an amount greater than the stoichiometric amount needed to form PbTe, or by adding an additive effective to getter Te so as to produce the desired excess. The method is generally applicable to enhance thermoelectric properties of compounds of Pb, Sn or Ge, and Te, Se, or S.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2005Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Pierre Heremans, Christopher M. Thrush, Donald T. Morelli
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Publication number: 20080066797Abstract: A selective light absorbing semiconductor surface is disclosed. Said semiconductor surface is characterized by the presence of indentations or protrusions comprising a grating of dimensions such as to enhance the absorption of selected frequencies of radiation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said grating is formed on the surface of a doped semiconductor for the purposes of optical frequency down conversion. The semiconductor is doped so as to create energy levels within the forbidden zone between the conduction and valence bands. Incident radiation excites electrons from the valence to conduction band from where they decay to the meta-stable newly created energy level in the forbidden zone. From there, electrons return to the valence band, accompanied by the emission of radiation of lower frequency than that of the incident radiation. Optical frequency down-conversion is thus efficiently and rapidly accomplished.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Inventors: Avto Tavkhelidze, Amiran Bibilashvili, Zara Taliashvili
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Patent number: 7326851Abstract: A thermoelectrically active p- or n-conductive semiconductor material is constituted by a ternary compound of the general formula (I) (Pb1-xGex)Te??(I) with x value from 0.16 to 0.5, wherein 0 to 10% by weight of the ternary compound may be replaced by other metals or metal compounds, wherein the semiconductor material has a Seebeck coefficient of at least ±200 ?V/K at a temperature of 25° C.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2003Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignees: BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Michigan State UniversityInventors: Hans-Josef Sterzel, Klaus Kühling, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, Duck-Young Chung
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Patent number: 7312392Abstract: The present invention provides a thermoelectric conversion device having high thermoelectric conversion performance. In this device, electrodes are arranged so that electric current flows in an interlayer direction of a layered substance, unlike the arrangements derived from common knowledge in the art. In the thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention, a thermoelectric-conversion film is obtained through epitaxial growth and formed by arranging an electrically conducting layer and an electrically insulating layer alternately; the electrically conducting layer has an octahedral crystal structure in which a transition metal atom M is positioned at its center and oxygen atoms are positioned at its vertexes; and the electrically insulating layer includes a metal element or a crystalline metal oxide.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2005Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Yotsuhashi, Tsutomu Kanno, Hideaki Adachi, Akihiro Odagawa, Yasunari Sugita
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Patent number: RE39640Abstract: A family of isostructural compounds have been prepared having the general formula AnPbmBinO2n+m. These compounds possess a NaCl lattice type structure as well as low thermal conductivity and controlled electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the electrical properties can be controlled by varying the values for n and m. These isostructural compounds can be used for semiconductor applications such as detectors, lasers and photovoltaic cells. These compounds also have enhanced thermoelectric properties making them excellent semiconductor materials for fabrication of thermoelectric devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2003Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: Board of Trustees operating Michigan State UniversityInventors: Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, Duck-Young Chung, Stephane DeNardi, Sandrine Sportouch