Production of Magnesium-Based Thermoelectric-Sheet Materials for Efficient Energy Harvesting
Abstract
In the first-year of projects related to MURI-program, Mg-Si-Ge-Sn system is found to be a suitable TE-material target for improvement of specific figure-of-merit to be used as the candidate energy harvesting material. The solid-state synthesis is an only approach to utilize two material parameters of germanium and tin contents in order to optimize TE-material property. The germanium content "x" in Mg2Si1-x-yGexSny plays a role to control the Seebeck coefficient; while the tin content "y" in Mg2Si1-x-yGexSny can be optimized to improve the electrical conductivity. Since finer microstructure of Mg2Si1-x-yGexSny is obtained by the present processing, low thermal Conductivity is commonly attained irrespective of x and y. New processing route of this solid-state synthesis is invented to yield dense TE-leg materials. In this approach, the premixed state mixture with fine embryos of TE-compounds is obtained by using the bulk mechanical alloying. Then, these finely premixed state materials are further annealed and consolidated at relatively low holding Temperature to yield targeting TE-leg materials. Forming of these fine pre-mixture before annealing and consolidation, results in formation of variously shaped TE-leg Materials. Extension of this solid-state synthesis approach to mass production is possible by using the larger die-set. This approach has a capability to yield hundred-gram TE-materials in one batch operation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 27, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA494732
Entities
People
- Tatsuhiko Aizawa