Mo/Ti/CoSb/sub 3/ joining technology for CoSb/sub 3/ based materials

CoSb/sub 3/ based materials are promising for power generation in the intermediate temperature range. In the present work, we have developed a novel technology for the fabrication of CoSb/sub 3/ thermoelectric (TE) couple by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Molybdenum (Mo) was selected as the electrode material and a titanium (Ti) layer was inserted between Mo and CoSb/sub 3/ to realize the joining of Mo to CoSb/sub 3/ at a lower temperature. Shear tests showed that the joint possesses a shear strength ranging from 55 MPa to 70 MPa. The potential voltage measurement showed that the joint exhibits good electrical properties. All the results indicate that the Mo/Ti/CoSb/sub 3/ joining technology is suitable for fabricating TE couples using the CoSb/sub 3/ based materials.