THERMOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT, THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD

To provide a thermoelectric conversion element, a thermoelectric material and a manufacturing method which are suitable for mass production and which enable the sufficient reduction in thermal conductivity while suppressing the decrease in electric conductivity.SOLUTION: A thermoelectric material has a sintered compact comprising: a plurality of thermoelectric base material particles; and a thermal conductivity control layer interposed among the thermoelectric base material particles at least partially. The thermal conductivity control layer has a metal material or semiconductor material containing an element different from a constituent element of the thermoelectric base material particles. In the sintered compact, a total percentage of the metal material and semiconductor material is 0.1 mol% or more and 4.0 mol% or less. The sintered compact involves a part where no thermal conductivity control layer is interposed among the thermoelectric base material particles.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】電気伝導率の低下を抑制しつつ、熱伝導率を十分に低下させることができ、かつ、量産に適する熱電変換素子、熱電材料および製造方法を提供する。【解決手段】熱電材料は、複数の熱電母材粒子と、熱電母材粒子間の少なくとも一部に介在する熱伝導率制御層とを含む焼結体であって、熱伝導率制御層が、熱電母材粒子の構成元素とは異なる元素を含む金属材料または半導体材料を有し、焼結体中における金属材料および半導体材料の合計の含有率は０．１ｍｏｌ％以上４．０ｍｏｌ％以下であり、熱電母材粒子の間には、熱伝導率制御層が介在しない部分を含む焼結体を有する。【選択図】図１