Origami-Type Flexible Thermoelectric Generator Fabricated by Self-Folding

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Harvesting
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are crucial for efficient energy harvesting from curved heat sources.
• Current flexible TEGs often use soft materials, limiting substrate thermal conductivity and thermoelectric conversion efficiency.
• Achieving flexibility without compromising performance in thermoelectric (TE) elements remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel fabrication method for flexible TEGs using high-performance rigid materials.
• To enable TEGs to conform to curved surfaces while maintaining efficient energy conversion.
• To enhance the mechanical stability and performance of TEGs under deformation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an "Origami-TEG" utilizing a self-folding origami structure.
• Application of linkage mechanism principles to enable time-separated fabrication steps (TE element mounting and active material addition).
• Testing of the origami-TEG's performance on both flat and curved heat sources, as well as under mechanical stress (stretching and bending).

Main Results:

• The origami-TEG demonstrated comparable internal resistance and maximum output power on both flat and curved surfaces.
• The self-folding origami structure successfully integrated rigid, high-performance TE materials.
• The fabricated TEG exhibited robust performance stability when subjected to stretching and bending deformations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed origami structure offers a viable method for creating flexible TEGs with high-performance rigid materials.
• Origami-TEG technology can achieve low-contact thermal resistance on curved surfaces without sacrificing energy conversion efficiency.
• This approach provides a pathway for developing durable and efficient flexible thermoelectric energy harvesting devices.