Thermoelectric Electrode Material Preventing Cracking Under High Temperature
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Thermoelectric conversion modules using bismuth telluride-based materials and Cu electrodes face issues with electrode cracking and peeling during high-temperature annealing, leading to increased electric resistance and performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
Employing a metal electrode material like gold, nickel, or their alloys that prevent alloy phase formation with bismuth-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor materials, ensuring low resistance and flexibility, and using a plastic film substrate for improved heat resistance and dimensional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If Cu electrode is used for thermoelectric conversion module, then thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity are improved, but electrode cracking and peeling occur during high-temperature annealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate layer between the Cu electrode and the bismuth-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material. This intermediate layer acts as a mediator that prevents direct alloy phase formation between Cu and the semiconductor material during high-temperature annealing, thereby preventing electrode cracking and peeling while maintaining the electrical conductivity benefits of Cu.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite electrode structure consisting of multiple layers with different material compositions. This composite structure combines the high electrical conductivity of Cu with other materials that provide thermal stability and prevent alloying reactions, resolving the contradiction between conductivity and stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If high-temperature annealing is performed to improve thermoelectric performance, then crystal growth and electrical properties are enhanced, but alloy phase formation causes electrode degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate layer serves as a protective barrier that allows high-temperature annealing to proceed for crystal growth enhancement while preventing harmful alloy phase formation between the Cu electrode and the thermoelectric semiconductor material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a chemically inert environment at the electrode-semiconductor interface through the intermediate layer, preventing unwanted chemical reactions and alloying during high-temperature processing while allowing beneficial crystal growth to occur.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents electrode cracking and peeling at bonding parts, maintaining low resistance and enhancing thermoelectric performance of the modules even under high-temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a device that enables direct interconversion between heat energy and electric energy by a thermoelectric conversion module having a thermoelectric effect such as a Seebeck effect and a Peltier effect
Implementation Method 2
a device that enables direct interconversion between heat energy and electric energy by a thermoelectric conversion module having a thermoelectric effect such as a Seebeck effect and a Peltier effect
Implementation Method 3
in a step of annealing the thermoelectric conversion module at a high temperature of 300° C. or so
Data Source
AI summary
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.