| 摘要 |
A method is disclosed of constructing a composite material structure, comprised of an aerogel substrate, which is then overlaid throughout its interior with an even and continuous thin layer film of doped thermoelectric semiconductor such that electrical current is transmitted as a quantum surface phenomena, while the cross-section for thermal conductivity is kept low, with the aerogel itself dissipating that thermal conductivity. In one preferred embodiment this is achieved using a modified metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition (MOCVD) process in the gas phase, with the assist of microwave heating after the reactant gases have evenly diffused throughout the interior of the aerogel substrate. |
| 主权项 |
1. A method of producing an aerogel composite continuous thin film layer thermoelectric semiconductor material by modified MOCVD, comprising:
a) An aerogel substrate sealed in a reaction chamber, b) Introducing into the reaction chamber a first reactant gas mixture, comprising a carrier gas, and a gas or vapor containing at least one of the more metallic elemental components, selected from the group of the metals in Groups 2-12, grouped together with the post-transition metals and metalloids in Groups 13-14, c) Allowing the first reactant gas mixture to diffuse and equilibrate evenly throughout the interior of the aerogel substrate, coordinating with the interior surfaces of the said aerogel substrate, d) Optionally including in the first reactant gas mixture a gas or vapor containing at least one of the less metallic elemental components, selected from the elements in Groups 14 and 15, where doing so will not result, without temperature elevation, in the deposit in the interior of the aerogel substrate of a thin film of a compound of the least one of the more metallic elemental components and the least one of the less metallic elemental components, e) Optionally, or alternatively to step 1(b), introducing a second reactant gas mixture, comprising a carrier gas, and a gas or vapor containing at least one of the less metallic elemental components, and allowing the second reactant gas mixture it to diffuse and equilibrate evenly throughout the interior of the aerogel substrate, f) Raising the temperature of the aerogel substrate with a source of heat energy, so as to drive to completion a reaction to deposit in the interior of the aerogel substrate of a thin film of a compound of the at least one of the more metallic elemental components and the at least one of the less metallic elemental components, faster than the at least one of the more metallic elemental components or the at least one of the less metallic elemental components can displace within the aerogel substrate, g) Allowing the aerogel substrate to cool, assisted optionally by the circulation of cooler carrier gas through the reaction chamber, h) Optionally repeating steps 1(b) through 1(g) above, to deposit additional layers of a thin film of a compound of the at least one of the more metallic elemental components and the at least one of the less metallic elemental components. |
