Semiconducting ceramics of p-type bismuth telluride was fabricated by plasma sintering using milled powders of (Bi2Te3)0.25(Sb2Te3)0.75+Se2.0mass%. The figure of merit and compressive strength were as large as 2.7×10-3K-1(25°C) and 6MPa, respectively. Their thermoelectric properties did not exhibit anisotropy due to their isotropic microstructure without grain orientation. The power factor increased with increasing sintering temperature and pressure, and was independent of the sintering time. Thermoelectric properties apparently have been generated possibly due to enhanced cleaning and activity of milled powder by spark plasma effect.
