Comparison of different pressing techniques for the preparation of n-type silicon-germanium thermoelectric alloys

Conference · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:242691

Harringa, J L; Cook, B A

Improvements to state-of-the-art Si{sub 80}Ge{sub 20} thermoelectric alloys have been observed in laboratory-scale samples by the powder metallurgy techniques of mechanical alloying and hot pressing. Incorporating these improvements in large scale compacts for the production of thermoelectric generator elements is the next step in achieving higher efficiency RTGs. This paper discusses consolidation of large quantities of mechanically alloyed powders into production size compacts. Differences in thermoelectric properties are noted between the compacts prepared by the standard technique of hot uniaxial pressing and hot isostatic pressing. Most significant is the difference in carrier concentration between the alloys prepared by the two consolidation techniques.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 242691
• Report Number(s): IS-M-854; CONF-960334-3; ON: DE96011231
• Resource Relation: Conference: 15. International conference on Thermoelectrics (ICT 96), Pasadena, CA (United States), 26-29 Mar 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCE TECHNOLOGY
THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS
FABRICATION
SILICON ALLOYS
THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES
GERMANIUM ALLOYS
RADIOISOTOPE BATTERIES
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
HOT PRESSING
COMPACTS
CARRIER DENSITY
PHOSPHORUS ADDITIONS
GALLIUM ADDITIONS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems