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High-performance dispenser printed MA p-type Bi(0.5)Sb(1.5)Te(3) flexible thermoelectric generators for powering
Deepa Madan1, Zuoqian Wang, Alic Chen
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California , Berkeley, California 94720, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|October 29, 2013
Summary
Researchers developed a new method for creating printable thermoelectric materials. This cost-effective approach achieved a ZT of 0.2, enabling scalable thermoelectric generator (TEG) devices for low-power applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Energy Harvesting
Background:
- Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) offer a promising route for waste heat recovery and powering low-power devices.
- Scalable and cost-effective manufacturing of TEGs remains a significant challenge for widespread adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, cost-effective method for synthesizing p-type composite thermoelectric materials.
- To enable scalable printing of thermoelectric generator (TEG) devices.
Main Methods:
- Mechanically alloying (MA) p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 with 8 wt% extra tellurium (Te) and epoxy composite films cured at 250 °C.
- Fabrication of a sixty-element TEG prototype using printed dimensions of 5.0 mm × 600 μm × 120 μm on a polyimide substrate.
Main Results:
- Achieved a maximum figure of merit (ZT) of 0.2.
- Observed a 50% increase in Seebeck coefficient due to the addition of extra Te.
- The prototype TEG device demonstrated a power output of 20.5 μW at 20 K temperature difference, yielding an areal power density of 152 μW/cm(2).
Conclusions:
- The developed composite thermoelectric material and printing method are suitable for cost-effective and scalable TEG manufacturing.
- The achieved power output is sufficient for powering low-power applications, including wireless sensor network (WSN) devices.
