Abstract
Fe0.95Co0.05Si2 (n-type) and Fe0.91Cr0.09Si2 (p-type) water-atomized powders were sintered by using SPS (Spark Plasma Sintering) system in the conditions of the temperature at 973, 1023, and 1073K, the holding time for 60, 300, 600, 1200, 2400 and 3600s and the applied pressure 49MPa. The differences in temperature being caused by current, as Peltier effect, through the thermoelectric element of βFeSi2 were measured.
The maximum differences in temperature of about 0.4K, and the maximum figure of merit Z about 8×10-6K-1 in case of thermoelectric cooling were obtained for the element produced by the conditions of the apparent temperature 1023K, holding time 3600s and applied pressure 49MPa.
It was found that the optimum conditions in producing βFeSi2 elements can be estimated by measuring the differences in temperature by Peltier effect, and more, that the powder of n-type is superior to that of p-type in sintering characteristic, however this phenomenon should be still being studied in detail.
