Patent ID: 8748726

Claim:
A thermoelectric material comprising bismuth telluride nanoparticles, the nanoparticles being dispersed in a matrix material that comprises particulate bismuth telluride, wherein: the thermoelectric material comprises a homogenized thermoelectric material having a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of at least 1 or more; and the bismuth telluride nanoparticles are doped with at least one or more of silver, antimony, tin, and/or a combination thereof; the bismuth telluride nanoparticles have a maximum dimension less than 200 nanometers; and the bismuth telluride nanoparticles are present in the thermoelectric material in an amount ranging from more than 20% to about 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the thermoelectric material; and the particulate bismuth telluride is present in the thermoelectric material in an amount ranging from 70% to less than 80% by weight, based on the total weight of the thermoelectric material.