A METHOD OF PREPARATION FOR THE HIGH PERFORMANCE THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL INDIUM-COBALT-ANTIMONY

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of thermoelectric compositions of the formula InXCo4Sb12(0<x<1), with a figure of merit greater ZT than 1.0 and a composition made by that process. The process comprising: a) mixing powders of indium, cobalt and antimony to form a mixture of powders such that there is 0.006 to 0.030 atomic percent indium, 0.242 to 0.248 atomic percent cobalt and 0.727 to 0.745 atomic percent antimony in said mixture of powders b) flowing a gas composition through a furnace containing said mixture of powders, said gas composition comprising of I to 15 atomic percent hydrogen and 85 to 99 atomic percent argon c) heating said furnace at approximately I to 5 C/minute from room temperature to from 590°C to 620°C and holding said furnace at 590°C to 620°C for between ten and fourteen hours d) further heating said furnace to between 665°C to 685°C at approximately 1 to 5 C/minute and holding said furnace at 665°C to 685°C for between 30 to 40 hours to form a first solid e) grinding said first solid to form a second powder f) pressing said second powder into a second solid g) flowing a gas composition_ through said furnace containing said second solid, said gas composition comprising of 1 to 15 atomic percent hydrogen and 85 to 99 atomic percent argon h) heating said furnace at approximately 1 to 5 C/minute from room temperature to between 665°C to 685°C and holding said furnace at between 665°C to 685°C for between 1 to 8 hours.