Xiao Yan

US Patent:

20140186209, Jul 3, 2014

Filed:

Mar 5, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/197525

Inventors:

Zhifeng Ren - Houston TX, US
Jian Yang - Brookline MA, US
Xiao Yan - Chicago IL, US
Qinyu He - Guangzhou, CN
Gang Chen - Carlisle MA, US
Qing Hao - Tucson AZ, US

Assignee:

TRUSTEES OF BOSTON COLLEGE - Chestnut Hill MA
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - Cambridge MA

International Classification:

H01L 35/18

US Classification:

420576

Abstract:

Compositions related to skutterudite-based thermoelectric materials are disclosed. Such compositions can result in materials that have enhanced ZT values relative to one or more bulk materials from which the compositions are derived. Thermoelectric materials such as n-type and p-type skutterudites with high thermoelectric figures-of-merit can include materials with filler atoms and/or materials formed by compacting particles (e.g., nanoparticles) into a material with a plurality of grains each having a portion having a skutterudite-based structure. Methods of forming thermoelectric skutterudites, which can include the use of hot press processes to consolidate particles, are also disclosed. The particles to be consolidated can be derived from (e.g., grinded from), skutterudite-based bulk materials, elemental materials, other non-Skutterudite-based materials, or combinations of such materials.