Cu₂Se-based thermoelectric cellular architectures for efficient and durable power generation.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Harvesting
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Thermoelectric power generation is a key technology for waste heat recovery.
• Traditional fabrication methods limit the geometrical design of thermoelectric legs, impacting performance.
• Optimizing leg geometry is crucial for sustainable and efficient power generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and fabricate novel cellular thermoelectric architectures for enhanced power output and durability.
• To investigate the effect of geometrical design on thermoelectric performance.
• To develop suitable 3D-printable thermoelectric materials and inks.

Main Methods:

• Extrusion-based 3D printing of copper selenide (Cu2Se) thermoelectric materials.
• Design and simulation of cuboid, hollow hexagonal column, and honeycomb thermoelectric leg architectures.
• Development of organic binder-free Cu2Se inks with inorganic Se82- polyanion additive.
• Experimental characterization and computational simulation of power output and mechanical stiffness.

Main Results:

• Optimized aspect ratio for cuboid thermoelectric legs to maximize power output.
• Demonstrated superior power output and mechanical stiffness of cellular architectures (hollow hexagonal column, honeycomb) compared to traditional designs.
• Successfully fabricated complex thermoelectric topologies using developed 3D-printing inks.
• Validated simulation results with experimental measurements.

Conclusions:

• Cellular thermoelectric architectures offer significant improvements in power generation efficiency and durability.
• 3D printing enables the fabrication of complex thermoelectric designs not achievable with traditional methods.
• Topological design is a critical factor for advancing thermoelectric leg performance and longevity.