Development of high-performance thermoelectric conversion materials using supercooling solidification process

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24560246
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thermal engineering
• Research Institution: Ishikawa National College of Technology
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIOKA Hideaki 石川工業高等専門学校, その他部局等, 准教授 (80259845)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KATO Toru 石川工業高等専門学校, その他部局等, 教授 (50612016)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TADA Yukio 金沢大学, 機械工学系, 准教授 (20179708)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 機能材料 / 熱工学 / 凝固 / 結晶成長

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The solidification of Bi-Te melt with non-uniform supercooling was studied experimentally with the aim to develop high performance thermoelectric materials. The solidified texture consisted of Bi2Te3 compound crystals having platy facet shape and eutectic matrix. Also, the temperature raise due to the release of latent heat was small in comparison with the case of dendrite growth of solid solution. From these results, the growth mechanism of facet-shape compound crystals was discussed in relation to transport phenomena between solid-liquid interface and liquid around crystals. As for microstructures, the crystal number density, the growth direction and the crystal structure were analyzed. It was clarified that the directivity and the fineness of the fiber structure improved with increasing temperature gradient.

Free Research Field

熱工学