METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A P-TYPE AND AN N-TYPE THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL USING A LIQUID COMPOUND HAVING A THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTY AND THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE INCLUDING SAME

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a p-type and an n-type thermoelectric material using a liquid compound having a thermoelectric property. The method comprises the steps of: cooling a reactor; introducing one solute selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, calcium, indium, and lead into said cooled reactor; placing the reactor into a vacuum state; and adding a specific solvent into the reactor containing the solute in a vacuum state, to carry out a reaction. According to the method for manufacturing the thermoelectric material having a thermoelectric property, a p-type and an n-type thermoelectric material having the thermoelectric property may be manufactured by controlling the concentration of a quantified metal and the temperature of the reaction. A thermoelectric compound having a superior thermoelectric efficiency may be manufactured thereby. By using the p-type or the n-type thermoelectric material according to the present invention, a thermoelectric device utilizable at medium and low temperatures may be manufactured. The thermoelectric device may be applied as a thermoelectric electricity generator for generating a current from heat sources such as solar heat, geothermal heat, seawater heat, human body heat, automobile waste heat, and waste heat from mobile equipment.