ELECTRICAL CONTACTS FOR FESI2 AND HIGHER MANGANESE SILICIDE THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENTS

A furnace was constructed to solder thermoelectric materials at high t emperatures in vacuum or a gas atmosphere. Electrical junctions for th e hot side of a thermoelectric generator consisting of FeSi2 and highe r manganese silicide were developed, Material for the junction is TiSi 2 soldered with 'Ti-activated' Ag. Contact resistivity was found to be low compared to the material's resistances and stable against the the rmal stress at the working temperature. Electron microscopic investiga tions did not detect any ageing process. The results support the appli cability of the developed contacts in a thermoelectric generator.