Patent ID: 7734428
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: G16C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A process for manufacturing a nanocomposite thermoelectric material exhibiting a generally high figure of merit value, the nanocomposite thermoelectric material having a first component made from nanoparticles and a second component made from nanoparticles, the process comprising: determining a plurality of material compositions to be investigated for the nanocomposite thermoelectric material; calculating a plurality of thermal conductivity values as a function of scattering cross section of the second component nanoparticles for the material as a function of the plurality of material compositions to be investigated; calculating a plurality of electrical resistivity values for the material as a function of the plurality of material compositions to be investigated; determining at least one Seebeck coefficient for the material as a function of the plurality of material compositions to be investigated; calculating a plurality of figure of merit values for the material as a function of the calculated plurality of thermal conductivity values, the calculated plurality of electrical resistivity values and the determined at least one Seebeck coefficient; and determining a generally maximum range of the figure of merit values for the material as a function of the plurality of material compositions to be investigated; providing a plurality of the first component nanoparticles and a plurality of the second component nanoparticles; and combining a first quantity of the first component nanoparticles and a second quantity of the second component nanoparticles to form the nanocomposite thermoelectric material having a material composition within the plurality of material compositions corresponding to the generally maximum range of figure of merits values.