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 degrees C and 550 degrees C. We find that Ag is a promising bonding material for PbTe modules operating at T-Hot <= 400 degrees C. Additionally, our approach highlights a highly effective and inexpensive method to metallize PbTe prior to module assembly. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.