Abstract
Heavily porous FeSi2 bulky materials for thermoelctric conversion elements have been developed via a spark plasma sintering process. FeSi2 bulky materials with a porosity ratio of about 45% were molded into U-type thermoelectric conversion elements in which the p-type and n-type FeSi2 were separated by insulating glass fiber sheets. The Doping elements used were Co and Mn. Ag mesh electrodes were firmly attached, simultaneously by the sintering process, to the surface of the sintered products. A thermoelectric power of 0.5–0.7 mV/K at 300–500 K and an apparent internal resistivity of 3.99×10−3 Ωm at 448–479 K have been obtained, which shows a potential for use in power generation by gas-combustion and heat-exchange type thermoelectric processes.
