Nanocomposites with high thermoelectric figures of merit

Details Nanocomposites with high thermoelectric figures of merit Nanocomposites with high thermoelectric figures of merit

2004-10-29

2008-12-16

Nguyen, Nam X (Department: 1795)

Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric

Thermoelectric

Having particular thermoelectric composition

C136S238000, C136S239000, C136S240000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07465871

ABSTRACT:
The present invention is generally directed to nanocomposite thermoelectric materials that exhibit enhanced thermoelectric properties. The nanocomposite materials include two or more components, with at least one of the components forming nano-sized structures within the composite material. The components are chosen such that thermal conductivity of the composite is decreased without substantially diminishing the composite's electrical conductivity. Suitable component materials exhibit similar electronic band structures. For example, a band-edge gap between at least one of a conduction band or a valence band of one component material and a corresponding band of the other component material at interfaces between the components can be less than about 5kBT, wherein kBis the Boltzman constant and T is an average temperature of said nanocomposite composition.

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