Thermoelectric conversion material, thermoelectric conversion element using the material, cooling device and electric apparatus using the element, and electric power generation method and cooling method using the element

摘要

With conventional thermoelectric conversion materials, their thermoelectric conversion performance has been insufficient, and a problem has been to achieve stable performance in an oxidizing atmosphere and an air atmosphere. In view of this, according to the present invention, a thermoelectric material is made of a complex oxide that has vanadium oxide as its main component and is represented by the general formula A_xVO_x+1.5+d. Here, A is at least one selected from an alkali element, an alkaline-earth element, and a rare-earth element, x is a numerical value within the range of 0.2 to 2, and d is a non-stoichiometric ratio of oxygen and is a numerical value within the range of from -1 to 1.