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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 May 2014
Dimagnesium silicide (Mg2Si) is an eco-friendly material useful for thermoelectric generation using waste heat of temperature range of 600 to 900 K. To improve the thermoelectric performance of the Mg2Si compound, we made the Al-added compounds under magnesium-rich condition (with 67.0 at% of Mg) using a liquid-solid phase reaction and using a pulse discharge sintering. The thermoelectric performance of each sample containing Al of 0 to 2.0 at% was measured during 50 h air exposure with temperature difference. The temperature difference was given by contacting the hot side of a sample with a hot plate kept at 773 K and by contacting the cold side with a heat sink with cooling fan. The electrical resistivity of the Al-free sample increased with air exposure time by internal oxidation. All the Al-added samples kept the low resistivity during the air exposure test. We confirmed the resistance to deterioration in thermoelectric performance of the Al-added samples during air exposure with temperature difference.