Fabrication and thermoelectric properties of N-type Bi2Te3 based compounds by spark plasma sintering

N-type Bi2Te3 based thermoelectric compound was prepared by spark plasma sintering with a temperature range of 340 similar to 460 degrees C and powder size of similar to 75 mu m, 76 similar to 150 mu m, 151 similar to 250 mu m. Thermoelectric properties of the compound were measured as a function of the sintering temperature and powder size. With increasing sintering temperature, the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of the compound greatly changed because of the increase in relative density. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity were varied largely with increasing powder size. Therefore, the compound sintered at 460 degrees C, with the powder of similar to 75 mu m, showed a figure of merit of 2.44 x 10(-3)/K. Also, the bending strength was 75MPa.