Bi-Te MANUFACTURING METHOD OF Bi-Te BASED CERAMICS

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing Bi_2Te_3 ceramics, which is a typical thermoelectric material. According to the manufacturing method of the present invention, a bulk body of Bi_2Te_3 composition is formed and the bulk body is inserted into a furnace. Then, it is subjected to a sintering process in atmospheric pressure to an H_2 atmosphere and a Te atmosphere within a sintering temperature range of 450 to 550C and at a rate of temperature increase of 0.1 to 160C per second. As a result, both pressurization and current applying processes can be eliminated from the present invention. According to the present invention, the sintering process allows thermoelectric materials to be manufactured in advantageous combination with a thick film process such as tape casting, screen printing, and inkjet, and is promising with regard to mass production of thermoelectric materials. 본 발명은 대표적인 열전소재인 BiTe세라믹스의 제조방법을 개시한다. 본 발명에 의한 제조방법은 BiTe조성의 벌크체를 형성하고, 상기 벌크체를 노 내부에 장입하여 0.1~160℃/sec의 승온속도로 450~550℃의 소결온도 범위에서 H분위기 및 Te 분위기로 상압 소결한다. 이로써, 본 발명은 가압이나 통전하는 공정을 모두 배제가능하다. 본 발명에 따르면, 이러한 소결 공정은 테이프캐스팅, 스크린인쇄 및 잉크젯과 같은 후막공정과 유리하게 결합되어 열전소재를 제조가능하며 열전소재의 대량 생산에 유망하다.