Xiao Yan

US Patent:

20080202575, Aug 28, 2008

Filed:

Dec 3, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/949353

Inventors:

Zhifeng Ren - Newton MA, US
Bed Poudel - Brighton MA, US
Gang Chen - Carlisle MA, US
Yucheng Lan - Newton MA, US
Dezhi Wang - Wellesley MA, US
Qing Hao - Cambridge MA, US
Mildred Dresselhaus - Arlington MA, US
Yi Ma - Somerville MA, US
Xiao Yan - Brighton MA, US
Xiaoyuan Chen - Acton MA, US
Xiaowei Wang - Newton MA, US
Joshi R. Giri - Allston MA, US
Bo Yu - Allston MA, US

Assignee:

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT) - Cambridge MA
The Trustees of Boston College - Chestnut Hill MA

International Classification:

H01L 35/34
H01L 35/16

US Classification:

136201, 136240, 136239, 136238

Abstract:

Thermoelectric materials with high figures of merit, ZT values, are disclosed. In many instances, such materials include nano-sized domains (e.g., nanocrystalline), which are hypothesized to help increase the ZT value of the material (e.g., by increasing phonon scattering due to interfaces at grain boundaries or grain/inclusion boundaries). The ZT value of such materials can be greater than about 1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 2 and even higher. Such materials can be manufactured from a thermoelectric starting material by generating nanoparticles therefrom, or mechanically alloyed nanoparticles from elements which can be subsequently consolidated (e.g., via direct current induced hot press) into a new bulk material. Non-limiting examples of starting materials include bismuth, lead, and/or silicon-based materials, which can be alloyed, elemental, and/or doped. Various compositions and methods relating to aspects of nanostructured thermoelectric materials (e.g., modulation doping) are further disclosed.

US Patent:

20110108778, May 12, 2011

Filed:

Apr 30, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/990268

Inventors:

Zhifeng Ren - Newton MA, US
Jian Yang - Waltham MA, US
Xiao Yan - Brighton MA, US
Qinyu He - Guangzhou, CN
Gang Chen - Carlisle MA, US
Qing Hao - Cambridge MA, US

Assignee:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge MA
Trustees of Boston College - Chestnut Hill MA

International Classification:

H01B 1/02
B82Y 30/00

US Classification:

2525211, 977773

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. Thermo-electric 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.

US Patent:

20150068574, Mar 12, 2015

Filed:

Oct 17, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/517763

Inventors:

- Cambridge MA, US
- Chestnut Hill MA, US
Gang Chen - Carlisle MA, US
Yucheng Lan - Newton MA, US
Dezhi Wang - Wellesley MA, US
Qing Hao - Tucson AZ, US
Mildred Dresselhaus - Arlington MA, US
Yi Ma - Somerville MA, US
Xiao Yan - Brighton MA, US
Xiaoyuan Chen - Acton MA, US
Xiaowei Wang - Newton MA, US
Joshi R. Giri - Allston MA, US
Bo Yu - Allston MA, US

International Classification:

H01L 35/20
H01L 35/18
H01L 35/34
H01L 35/16

US Classification:

136200, 264104

Abstract:

Thermoelectric materials with high figures of merit, ZT values, are disclosed. In many instances, such materials include nano-sized domains (e.g., nanocrystalline), which are hypothesized to help increase the ZT value of the material (e.g., by increasing phonon scattering due to interfaces at grain boundaries or grain/inclusion boundaries). The ZT value of such materials can be greater than about 1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 2 and even higher. Such materials can be manufactured from a thermoelectric starting material by generating nanoparticles therefrom, or mechanically alloyed nanoparticles from elements which can be subsequently consolidated (e.g., via direct current induced hot press) into a new bulk material. Non-limiting examples of starting materials include bismuth, lead, and/or silicon-based materials, which can be alloyed, elemental, and/or doped. Various compositions and methods relating to aspects of nanostructured theromoelectric materials (e.g., modulation doping) are further disclosed.