• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2010년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.231-231
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• 2010

Thermoelectric properties of a multi-layered thin film, which was composed with indium selenide and bismuth telluride, were investigated. The structure of the layered thin film is Bi-Te /In-Se/Bi-Te and it was prepared on sapphire substrate by RF magnetron sputter using stoichiometric $Bi_2Te_3$ (99.9%) and $In_2Se_3$(99.99%) target at room temperature. Then, it was annealed at temperature range of 150 - $500^{\circ}C$ in Ar ambient. Structural characterizations were done using X-ray diffraction(XRD, BRUKER, D8, 60kW) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM, FEI, Tecnai, F30 S-Twin), respectively. Cross-section of multi-layer structure was observed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resistivity and Seebeck coefficient of these samples were also measured by conventional equipment at room temperature. The maximum value of power factor was $1.16\;{\mu}W/k^2m$ at annealing temperature of $400^{\circ}C$.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.23-23
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• 2009

It has been challenging to increase the thermoelectric figure of merit ($ZT=S^2{\sigma}T/\kappa$) of materials, which determine the efficiency of thermoelectric devices, because the three parameters Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity ($\sigma$), and thermal conductivity ($\kappa$) of bulk materials are inter-dependent. With the development of nanotechnology, ZT values of nanostructured materials are predicted to be enhanced by classical size effects and quantum confinement effects. In particular, Bi nanowires were suggested as one of ideal thermoelectric materials due to the expected quantum confinement effects for the simultaneous increase in Sand. In this work, we have investigated the thermal conductivity of individual single crystalline Bi nanowires with d = 98 nm and d = 327 nm in the temperature range 40 - 300 K using MEMS devices. The for the Bi nanowire with d = 98 nm was observed to be ~ 1.6 W/m-K at 300 K, which is much lower than that of Bi bulk (8 W/m-K at 300 K). This indicates that the thermal conductivity of the Bi suppressed due to enhanced surface boundary scattering in one-dimensional structures. Our results suggest that Bi nanowires grown by stress-induced method can be used for high-efficiency thermoelectric devices.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2014년도 제46회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.450.2-450.2
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• 2014

열전재료는 열-전기가 상호 가역적으로 변하는 재료로서, 최근 에너지 변환소재 분야에서 각광받고 있다. 열전재료의 특성 효율은 무차원 열전 성능지수(dimensionless figure of merit, $ZT={\alpha}2{\sigma}T/{\kappa}$)로 나타낼 수 있다. 여기서 ${\alpha}$는 제벡계수(Seebeck coefficient), ${\sigma}$는 전기전도도(electrical conductivity), ${\kappa}$는 열전도도(thermal conductivity), T는 Kelvin 온도를 나타낸다. 500 K에서 800 K까지의 중온 영역에서 우수한 열전특성을 보이는 $Mg_2X$ (X=Si, Ge, Sn)와 이들의 고용체는 성분원소가 독성이 없고, 매장량이 많아 친환경 열전 재료로 각광받고 있다. $Mg_2X$ 고용체 중 $Mg_2Si_{1-x}Ge_x$는 기존 $Mn_2Si$, $Mg_2Ge$, $Mg_2Sn$계 보다 더 우수한 열전 성능지수를 보인다. 다양한 제조 방법들이 시도되고 있으나, 조성설계 및 구조, 성능 조절의 어려움이 있고, Mg의 산화와 휘발 및 Mg, Si, Ge의 융점 차이가 크고 중력 편석과 반응하지 않은 원소들로 인해 제조가 상당히 어렵다. Sb가 도핑된 $Mg_2Si_{0.5}Ge_{0.5}Sb_y$ (y=0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03) 고용체를 고상반응으로 합성하고 진공열간 압축성형을 통해 성공적으로 제조하였다. 고용 상을 확인하기 위하여 X선 회절분석을 실시하였고, 고용체 형성과 도핑에 따른 전기적 특성변화를 평가하기 위해 Hall 효과를 측정하여 전자 이동특성을 분석하였고, 323~823 K까지 전기전도도, 제벡계수, 열전도도의 측정을 통해 열전 성능지수를 평가하였다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.68-74
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• 2015

The porous $Mg_3Sb_2$ based compounds with 60~70% of relative density were prepared by powder compaction at room temperature and reactive liquid phase sintering at 1023 K for 4hrs. The stoichiometric $Mg_3Sb_2$ compounds were synthesized from elemental Sb and Mg powder in the mixing range of 61~63 at% Mg. The increased scattering effect due to the micro-pores reduced the mobility of the charge carrier and the phonon, which caused the electrical conductivity and the thermal conductivity to decrease, respectively. But the scattering effect was greater for the electrical conductivity than for the thermal conductivity. Excess Mg alloyed in the $Mg_3Sb_2$ compounds decreased the electrical conductivity, but had no effect on the thermal conductivity. On the other hand, the large increase of the Seebeck coefficient was the result of a decrease in the charge carrier density due to the excess Mg. Dimensionless figure of merit of the porous $Mg_3Sb_2$ compound reached a maximum value of 0.28 at 61 at% Mg. The obtained value was similar to that of $Mg_3Sb_2$ compounds having little pores.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.520-527
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• 1999

열전 소결재 제조의 새로운 시도로, 분말의 압출과 소결을 동시에 할 수 있는 공정에 대하여 연구하였다. $(Bi,Sb)_2(Te,Se)_3$계 압출-소결재를 제조함에 있어 제조 변수를 적절히 조절하여 건전한 표면과 미세조직을 갖는 고밀도의 소결재를 얻을 수 있었다. p형 재료의 경우 Te 도핑량이 증가함에 따라 Seebeck 계수가 증가하였으며 3 at% Te을 첨가한 경우 상온에서의 열전 성능 지수가 $2.5\times10^{-3}/K$를 나타내었다. 한편 n형 재료의 경우 0.16 mol% $SbI_3$를 도핑한 시편에서 $1.8\times10^{-3}/K$의 열전 성능지수를 보였다. p형 및 n형 재료 모두 압출 방향에 수직한 방향보다 평행한 방향으로의 운반자 이동도와 열전 성능지수가 높게 나타났다.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.357-363
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• 2017

In this study, Bi-Sb-Te thermoelectric materials are produced by mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). To examine the influence of the milling atmosphere on the microstructure and thermo-electric (TE) properties, a p-type Bi-Sb-Te composite powder is mechanically alloyed in the presence of argon and air atmospheres. The oxygen content increases to 55% when the powder is milled in the air atmosphere, compared with argon. All grains are similar in size and uniformly, distributed in both atmospheric sintered samples. The Seebeck coefficient is higher, while the electrical conductivity is lower in the MA (Air) sample due to a low carrier concentration compared to the MA (Ar) sintered sample. The maximum figure of merit (ZT) is 0.91 and 0.82 at 350 K for the MA (Ar) and MA (Air) sintered samples, respectively. The slight enhancement in the ZT value is due to the decrease in the oxygen content during the MA (Ar) process. Moreover, the combination of mechanical alloying and SPS process shows a higher hardness and density values for the sintered samples.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.115-121
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• 2017

In this work, p-type Bi-Sb-Te alloys powders are prepared using gas atomization, a mass production powder preparation method involving rapid solidification. To study the effect of the sintering temperature on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties, gas-atomized powders are consolidated at different temperatures (623, 703, and 743 K) using spark plasma sintering. The crystal structures of the gas-atomized powders and sintered bulks are identified using an X-ray diffraction technique. Texture analysis by electron backscatter diffraction reveals that the grains are randomly oriented in the entire matrix, and no preferred orientation in any unique direction is observed. The hardness values decrease with increasing sintering temperature owing to a decrease in grain size. The conductivity increases gradually with increasing sintering temperature, whereas the Seebeck coefficient decreases owing to increases in the carrier mobility with grain size. The lowest thermal conductivity is obtained for the bulk sintered at a low temperature (603 K), mainly because of its fine-grained microstructure. A peak ZT of 1.06 is achieved for the sample sintered at 703 K owing to its moderate electrical conductivity and sustainable thermal conductivity.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.476-479
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• 2013

$CoSb_3$ with its high electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and rather low thermal conductivity is quite a promising material for thermoelectric conversion applications. A potentially high figure of merit (ZT) can be achieved by a nanostructure evolution of thermoelectric materials. In this work, $CoSb_3$ nanoparticles were synthesized through a thermal decomposition method in cooperation with a hot injection technique. Nano-sized $CoSb_3$ particles were obtained through the thermal decomposition reaction between the pre-heated cobalt-oleate at $320^{\circ}C$ and the injected antimony oleate with room temperature. The results showed that the particle size was increased with increasing synthesis temperature and the crystallinity of particles was improved with temperature but the decomposition of $CoSb_3$ was observed at $320^{\circ}C$. The $CoSb_3$ particles synthesized at $300^{\circ}C$ showed a high purity and an homogeneous shape with average particle size of 26 nm.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.272-276
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• 2007

P-type thermoelectric material $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$ was sintered by Hot Press process (HP) and the effect of boron ($0.25{\sim}2$ at%) addition on the thermoelectric properties were reported. To enhance the thermoelectric performances, the $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$, alloys were fabricated by mechanical alloying (MA) and HP. The carrier of p-type SiGe alloy was controlled by B-doping. The effect of sintering condition and thermoelectric properties were investigated. B-doped SiGe alloys exhibited positive seebeck coefficient. The electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity were increased at the small amount of boron content ($0.25{\sim}0.5$ at%). However, they were decreased over 0.5 at% boron content. As a result, the small addition of boron improved the Z value. The Z value of 0.5 at% B doped $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$ B alloy was $0.9{\times}10{-4}/K$, the highest value among the prepared alloys.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.130-139
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• 2023

Thermoelectric materials and devices are energy-harvesting devices that can effectively recycle waste heat into electricity. Thermoelectric power generation is widely used in factories, engines, and even in human bodies as they continuously generate heat. However, thermoelectric elements exhibit poor performance and low energy efficiency; research is being conducted to find new materials or improve the thermoelectric performance of existing materials, that is, by ensuring a high figure-of-merit (zT) value. For increasing zT, higher σ (electrical conductivity) and S (Seebeck coefficient) and a lower κ (thermal conductivity) are required. Here, interface engineering by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to increase zT of n-type BiTeSe (BTS) thermoelectric powders. ALD of the BTS powders is performed in a rotary-type ALD reactor, and 40 to 100 ALD cycles of ZnO thin films are conducted at 100℃. The physical and chemical properties and thermoelectric performance of the ALD-coated BTS powders and pellets are characterized. It is revealed that electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity are decoupled, and thus, zT of ALD-coated BTS pellets is increased by more than 60% compared to that of the uncoated BTS pellets. This result can be utilized in a novel method for improving the thermoelectric efficiency in materials processing.