Kruszewski Mirosław J
Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 141 Wołoska Str., 02-507 Warsaw, Poland.
Materials (Basel). 2025 Jun 20;18(13):2923. doi: 10.3390/ma18132923.
The development of thermoelectric modules based on skutterudite materials requires stable, low-resistance interfaces between segments operating at different temperature ranges. This study investigates the microstructure, thermoelectric performance, and thermal stability of the following two joints: InCoSb/CoSbTeSe (-type) and CeFeCoNiSb/InCoFeSb (-type), fabricated by pulse plasma sintering (PPS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses confirmed the formation of well-bonded interfaces without pores or cracks. Aging at 773 K for 168 h did not result in morphological or chemical degradation, and phase composition remained unchanged according to X-ray diffraction (XRD). Surface Seebeck coefficient mapping and contact resistance measurements showed negligible changes after annealing, confirming electrical stability. To provide context for potential applications, theoretical energy conversion efficiencies were estimated based on measured thermoelectric properties, yielding 13.2% and 10.1% for the - and -type segmented legs, respectively. Additionally, measured coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) indicated low mismatch between jointed materials, supporting good mechanical compatibility. The results demonstrate that the selected material combinations are thermally, chemically, and electrically stable and can be effectively used in segmented thermoelectric legs for intermediate-temperature applications.
基于方钴矿材料的热电模块的开发需要在不同温度范围工作的段之间具有稳定、低电阻的界面。本研究调查了通过脉冲等离子烧结（PPS）制备的以下两种接头的微观结构、热电性能和热稳定性：InCoSb/CoSbTeSe（-型）和CeFeCoNiSb/InCoFeSb（-型）。扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和能量色散光谱（EDS）分析证实形成了无孔隙或裂纹的良好结合界面。在773 K下老化168 h未导致形态或化学降解，根据X射线衍射（XRD），相组成保持不变。表面塞贝克系数映射和接触电阻测量表明退火后变化可忽略不计，证实了电稳定性。为了为潜在应用提供背景信息，基于测量的热电性能估计了理论能量转换效率，-型和-型分段腿的效率分别为13.2%和10.1%。此外，测量的热膨胀系数（CTE）表明连接材料之间的失配较低，支持良好的机械兼容性。结果表明，所选的材料组合在热、化学和电方面是稳定的，可有效地用于中温应用的分段热电腿中。
