One of the ways to decrease thermal conductivity is nano structurization. Cobalt triantimonide (CoSb3) samples with added indium or tellurium were prepared by the direct fusion technique from high purity elements. Ingots were pulverized and re-compacted to form electrodes. Then, the pulsed plasma in liquid (PPL) method was applied. All materials were consolidated using rapid spark plasma sintering (SPS). For the analysis, methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with a laser flash apparatus (LFA) were used. For density measurement, the Archimedes’ method was used. Electrical conductivity was measured using a standard four-wire method. The Seebeck coefficient was calculated to form measured Seebeck voltage in the sample placed in a temperature gradient. The preparation method allowed for obtaining CoSb3 nanomaterial with significantly lower thermal conductivity (10 Wm^–1K^–1 for pure CoSb₃ and 3 Wm^–1K^–1 for the nanostructured sample in room temperature (RT)). The size of crystallites (from SEM observations) in the powders prepared was about 20 nm, joined into larger agglomerates. The Seebeck coefficient, α, was about –200 µVK^–1 in the case of both dopants, In and Te, in microsized material and about –400 µVK^–1 for the nanomaterial at RT. For pure CoSb3, α was about 150 µVK^–1 and it stood at –50 µVK^–1 for nanomaterial at RT. In bulk nanomaterial samples, due to a decrease in electrical conductivity and inversion of the Seebeck coefficient, there was no increase in ZT values and the ZT for the nanosized material was below 0.02 in the measured temperature range, while for microsized In-doped sample it reached maximum ZT = 0.7 in (600K).

The aim of the study was to develop a method of laparoscopic embryo transfer in pigs and to compare different variants of this method. Two catheter diameters (1.6 mm and 1.0 mm), the method and site of embryo deposition (oviduct or uterus), the embryo development stage (2 – 4 cell or blastocyst), the method for oviduct or uterus stabilization, the potential for cryopreserved embryo transfer, the developmental potential of the embryos after transfer to the oviduct, patomorphology of the oviduct after transfer and possible clinical complications were taken into consideration. Two studies compared two variants of transfer to the uterus, and five variants of transfer to the fallopian tube. The transfer of embryos by the infundibulum may be of limited use due to handling problems and very low efficiency (pregnancy was not achieved). Very low efficiency was shown after transfer of vitrified embryos. Transfer to the fallopian tube by puncture of the fallopian tube, regardless of the developmental stage of the embryo, is the recommended method of embryo transfer. The histopathological examination of the fallopian tube revealed possible changes within the puncture site. The numerous clinical complications observed did not affect the effectiveness of the method.