Patent ID: 7732704

Claim:
An electrically conductive paste for connecting a p-type thermoelectric material made of a complex oxide to an electrically conductive substrate, the electrically conductive paste comprising: (i) at least one powdery oxide selected from the group consisting of: a complex oxide represented by the formula Ca a A 1 b Co c A 2 d O e wherein A 1 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of K, Li, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Sr, Ba, Al, and Bi; A 2 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta; 2.2≦a≦3.6; 0.3≦b≦0.8; 2≦c≦4.5; 0≦d≦2; and 8≦e≦10; and a complex oxide represented by the formula Bi f Pb g M 1 h Co i M 2 j O k wherein M 1 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Li, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ca, Ba, Al, Y, and lanthanoids; M 2 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta; 1.8≦f≦2.2; 0≦g≦0.4; 1.8≦h≦2.2; 1.6≦i≦2.2; 0≦j≦0.5; and 8≦k≦10; and (ii) at least one powdery electrically conductive metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, and alloys containing at least one of these metals.