Patent ID: 8519255

Claim:
A thermoelectric material containing a half-Heusler compound comprising a composition represented by the following formula (1): (Ti 1−a A a ) 1+x (Ni 1−b B b ) 1+y (Sn 1−c C c ) (1) where 0≦a<0.1, 0≦b<0.1 and 0≦c<0.1; −0.1≦x≦0.2 and 0<y≦0.2; at least two or more of a, b, and c are not zero; if a is not zero, A is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, and rare earth elements (La to Lu); if b is not zero, B is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Cu, Ag, and Au; and if c is not zero, C is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, C, Si, Ge, Pb, N, P, As, Sb, and Bi, wherein amounts of Zr substitution and Hf substitution at Ti sites of the half-Heusler compound are less than 1 at %, respectively.