A thermoelectric conversion material having a high dimensionless figure of merit ZT includes: a large number of polycrystalline grains which include a skutterudite-type crystal structure containing Yb, Co, and Sb; and an intergranular layer which is between the neighboring polycrystalline grains and includes crystals in which an atomic ratio of O to Yb is more than 0.4 and less than 1.5. A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion material includes: a weighing step; a mixing step; a ribbon preparation step by rapidly cooling and solidifying a melt of the raw materials by using a rapid liquid cooling solidifying method; a first heat treatment step including heat treating in an inert atmosphere with an adjusted oxygen concentration; a second heat treatment step including heat treating in a reducing atmosphere; and manufacturing the thermoelectric conversion material by a pressure sintering step in an inert atmosphere.

The present disclosure is related to structures for and methods for producing thermoelectric devices. The thermoelectric devices include multiple stages of thermoelements. Each stage includes alternating n-type and p-type thermoelements. The stages are sandwiched between upper and lower sets of metal links fabricated on a pair of substrate layers. The metal links electrically connect pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements from each stage. There may be additional sets of metal links between the multiple stages. The individual thermoelements may be sized to handle differing amounts of electric current to optimize performance based on their location within the multistage device.

Provided are an electrode material for thermoelectric conversion modules capable of preventing cracking and peeling of electrodes that may occur at the bonding parts of a thermoelectric element and an electrode under high-temperature conditions to thereby maintain a low resistance at the bonding parts, and a thermoelectric conversion module using the material. The electrode material for thermoelectric conversion modules includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a thermoelectric element formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an electrode formed on at least one substrate of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the substrate is a plastic film, the thermoelectric element contains a bismuth-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, a telluride-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, an antimony-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, or a bismuth-selenide-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, the electrode that is in contact with the thermoelectric element is formed of a metal material, and the metal material is gold, nickel, aluminum, rhodium, platinum, chromium, palladium, stainless steel, molybdenum or an alloy containing any of these metals.

A thermoelectric conversion material has a composition represented by the chemical formula Li.sub.3-aBi.sub.1-bGe.sub.b, in which the range of values a and b is: 0≤a≤0.0003, and −a+0.0003≤b≤0.108; 0.0003≤a≤0.003, and 0≤b≤0.108; or 0.003≤a≤0.085, and 0≤b≤exp[−0.157×(ln(a)).sup.2−2.22×ln(a)−9.81], and in which the thermoelectric conversion material has a BiF.sub.3-type crystal structure and has a p-type polarity.

A thermoelectric conversion material has a composition represented by the chemical formula Li.sub.3-aBi.sub.1-bSi.sub.b, in which the range of values a and b is: 0≤a≤0.0001, and −a+0.0003≤b≤0.023; 0.0001≤a<0.0003, and −a+0.0003≤b≤exp[−0.046×(ln(a)).sup.2−1.03×ln(a)−9.51]; or 0.0003≤a≤0.085, and 0<b≤exp[−0.046×(ln(a)).sup.2−1.03×ln(a)−9.51], and in which the thermoelectric conversion material has a BiF.sub.3-type crystal structure and has a p-type polarity.

A semiconductor sintered body comprising a polycrystalline body, wherein the polycrystalline body comprises magnesium silicide or an alloy containing magnesium silicide, and the average grain size of the crystal grains constituting the polycrystalline body is 1 μm or less, and the electrical conductivity is 10,000 S/m or higher.

A ZrCoBi-based p-type half-Heusler material can have a formula: ZrCoBi.sub.1-x-ySn.sub.xSb.sub.y, where x can vary between 0.01 and 0.25, and y can vary between 0 and 0.2. An average dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT) for the material can be greater than or equal to about 0.80 as calculated by an integration method for temperatures between 300 and 973 K. A ZrCoBi-based n-type half-Heusler material can have a formula: ZrCo.sub.1-xNi.sub.xBi.sub.1-ySb.sub.y, where x can vary between 0.01 and 0.25, and y can vary between 0 and 0.3. The material has an average dimensionless figure-of-merit (ZT) is greater than or equal to about 0.65 as calculated by an integration method for temperatures between 300 and 973 K.

A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body including a main phase including a plurality of crystal grains including Ce, Mn, Fe, and Sb and forming a skutterudite structure, and a grain boundary between crystal grains adjacent to each other. The grain boundary includes a sintering aid phase including at least Mn, Sb, and O. Thus, with respect to a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material including Sb, which is a sintering-resistant material, it is possible to improve sinterability while maintaining a practical dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT, and to reduce processing cost.

Provided by the present invention is a magnesium-antimony-based (Mg—Sb-based) thermoelement, a preparation method and application thereof. The Mg—Sb-based thermoelement comprises: a substrate layer of a Mg—Sb-based thermoelectric material positioned in the center of the thermoelement, transitional layers that are attached to the two surfaces of the substrate layer, and two electrode layer that are respectively attached to the surfaces of the two transitional layers; the transitional layers are made of a magnesium-copper alloy and/or magnesium-aluminum alloy, and the electrode layer is made of copper. The transitional layer and the electrode layer which are developed in the present invention and which are suitable for a Mg—Sb-based thermoelectric material have great significance and prospects in application. The electrode layer enable the Mg—Sb-based thermoelectric material to have an opportunity to enter the market and realize commercialization. Compared with the existing bismuth telluride thermoelectric devices in the market, the thermoelectric device prepared has lower costs, may simultaneously save the rare element tellurium, and is beneficial in saving energy and protecting the environmental.

The present disclosure relates to an integrated dual-sided all-in-one energy system including a plurality of vertically stacked dual-sided all-in-one energy apparatuses, each including an energy-harvesting device and an energy-storage device disposed on both sides of a substrate, and according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an integrated dual-sided all-in-one energy system may include a plurality of dual-sided all-in-one energy apparatuses, each including an energy-harvesting device that is formed as an electrode pattern on one side of a substrate and generates electrical energy by harvesting energy based on a temperature difference between a first side and a second side and an energy-storage device that is formed on the other side of the substrate and is selectively connected to the energy-harvesting device based on the electrode pattern to store the generated electrical energy.