IP Library Granted Patent US 8,778,215
Granted Patent B2
US 8,778,215 · App. 13/463,792 · Granted Jul 15, 2014

Thermoelectric composite material

Inventors: Shih-Chun Tseng (Hsinchu, TW); Wen-Hsuan Chao (Miaoli County, TW); Hsu-Shen Chu (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,778,215
App. No.
13/463,792
Granted
Jul 15, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a thermoelectric composite material including: a thermoelectric matrix including a thermoelectric material; and a plurality of nano-carbon material units located in the thermoelectric matrix and spaced apart from each other, wherein a spacing between two neighboring nano-carbon material unit is about 50 nm to 2 μm.

Claims (18)

1. A thermoelectric composite material, comprising:

a thermoelectric matrix comprising a thermoelectric material; and

a plurality of nano-carbon material units located in the thermoelectric matrix and spaced apart from each other, wherein a spacing between two neighboring nano-carbon material units of the nano-carbon material units is about 50 nm to 2 μm, each of the nano-carbon material units comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes, and the nano-carbon material units are in columnar shapes.

2. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spacing is about 200 nm to 1 μm.

3. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the spacing is about 400 nm to 700 nm.

4. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric material comprises bismuth telluride, antimony-doped bismuth telluride, selenium-doped bismuth telluride, zinc antimonide, half-Heusler alloys, or combinations thereof.

5. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon material units comprises carbon nanotubes, graphite, or graphene.

6. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon material units are embedded in the thermoelectric matrix along a single direction.

7. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon material units are embedded in the thermoelectric matrix along different directions respectively.

8. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon material units are arranged in a one-dimensional array, a two-dimensional array, or a random manner in the thermoelectric matrix.

9. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the nano-carbon material units arranged in a same row are arranged at equal intervals.

10. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the nano-carbon material units arranged in a same row are arranged at different intervals.

11. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric composite material has a main surface, and the cross-sectional shapes of the nano-carbon material units along the main surface comprise a square shape, a circular shape, an elliptic shape, a hexagonal shape, or a polygonal shape other than the square shape or the hexagonal shape.

12. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a substrate, wherein the thermoelectric matrix is disposed on the substrate and is insulated from the substrate.

13. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the nano-carbon material units has a width about 100 nm to 1 μm.

14. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the nano-carbon material units has a width substantially equal to the spacing.

15. The thermoelectric composite material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nano-carbon material units penetrate through the thermoelectric matrix.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2012
From: TSENG, SHIH-CHUN; CHAO, WEN-HSUAN; CHU, HSU-SHEN
To: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Reel/Frame 028177/0881 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 100147054 A · Dec 19, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130153819A1 · Jun 20, 2013