Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A thermoelectric material characterized by: a body formed from lead telluride and a modifying element, said modifying element being capable of forming solid phase alloys with tellurium but incapable of forming solid phase alloys with lead, said body including at least three phases including lead telluride, a telluride of said modifying element, and said modifying element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
A thermoelectric material characterized by: a body formed from lead telluride and a modifying element, said modifying element being capable of forming solid phase alloys with tellurium but incapable of forming solid phase alloys with lead, said body including at least three phases including lead telluride, a telluride of said modifying element, and said modifying element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A material according to claim 1 further characterized by said body includes a fourth phase, said fourth phase being lead.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A material according to any one of claims 1 or 2 further characterized by said modifying element is one of the group consisting of chromium, titanium, aluminum, and manganese.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A material according to any one of claims 1 through 3 further characterized by said body comprises compressed particles of said lead telluride and said modifying element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A material according to claim 4 further characterized by said body includes between about one to five weight percent of said modifying element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A material according to claim 3 further characterized by said at least three phases are lead telluride, manganese telluride, and manganese.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of making a thermoelectric material characterized by: forming a particulate mixture of about ninety-nine to ninety-five weight percent lead telluride and one to five weight percent of a modifying element, said modifying element being capable of forming solid phase alloys with tellurium but incapable of forming solid phase alloys with lead; compressing at least a portion of said particulate mixture to form a compacted body of material; and thereafter, sintering said compacted body of material to form said thermoelectric material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of making a thermoelectric material characterized by: forming a particulate mixture of about ninety-nine to ninety-five weight percent lead telluride and one to five weight percent of a modifying element, said modifying element being capable of forming solid phase alloys with tellurium but incapable of forming solid phase alloys with lead; compressing at least a portion of said particulate mixture to form a compacted body of material; and thereafter, sintering said compacted body of material to form said thermoelectric material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 7 further characterized by said particulate mixture includes about ninety-seven weight percent lead telluride and about three weight percent of said modifying element.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
29 words
A method according to any one of claims 7 or 8 further characterized by said modifying element is selected from the group consisting of chromium, titanium, aluminum, and manganese.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
30 words
A method according to any one of claims 7 through 9 further characterized by said particulate mixture is compressed at a pressure of five to twenty tons per square centimeter.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
28 words
A method according to any one of claims 7 through 10 further characterized by said compacted body is sintered at a temperature between 400 and 700 degrees centigrade.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 7 further characterized by the modifying element particles of said particulate mixture vary in size up to about 200 micrometers in dimension.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
26 words
A method according to any one of claims 11 or 12 further characterized by said compacted body is sintered for between one and one hundred hours.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
23 words
A method according to any one of claims 11 through 13 further characterized by said compacted body is sintered for about twenty hours.