Silver as a highly effective bonding layer for lead telluride thermoelectric modules assembled by rapid hot-pressing

We use the rapid hot-pressing method to bond Ag foil onto pure PbTe in order to assess its effectiveness as a bonding layer material for thermoelectric module applications. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction are employed to examine intermetallic compound formation and microstructure evolution during isothermal aging at 400 °C and 550 °C. We find that Ag is a promising bonding material for PbTe modules operating at T_(Hot) ⩽ 400 °C. Additionally, our approach highlights a highly effective and inexpensive method to metallize PbTe prior to module assembly.