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Published on: May 17, 2024
High-Performing Flexible Mg3Bi2 Thin-Film Thermoelectrics
Boxuan Hu1, Xiao-Lei Shi1, Tianyi Cao1
1School of Chemistry and Physics, ARC Research Hub in Zero-emission Power Generation for Carbon Neutrality, and Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia.
Flexible magnesium bismuth (Mg3Bi2) thin films were successfully fabricated for wearable electronics. These films exhibit excellent thermoelectric performance and flexibility, paving the way for practical applications in energy harvesting devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Thermoelectrics
- Thin Film Technology
Background:
- Growing interest in flexible thermoelectric materials for wearable electronics.
- Limited research on fabricating flexible Mg3Bi2 thin films and enhancing their performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop fabrication processes for flexible Mg3Bi2 thermoelectric thin films.
- To enhance the thermoelectric performance and flexibility of Mg3Bi2 thin films.
- To demonstrate the potential of flexible Mg3Bi2 for thermoelectric devices.
Main Methods:
- Magnetron sputtering technique for film deposition.
- Ex-situ annealing for optimizing film properties.
- Characterization of film thickness, adhesion, flexibility, and thermoelectric performance.
Main Results:
- Achieved a high power factor of 1.59 µW cm⁻¹ K⁻² at 60°C for n-type Mg3Bi2 thin films.
- Demonstrated excellent flexibility with <10% degradation after 500 bending cycles (5 mm radius).
- Fabricated the first flexible thermoelectric devices using both p-type and n-type Mg3Bi2 legs.
Conclusions:
- Magnetron sputtering and ex-situ annealing enable precise control over flexible Mg3Bi2 thin film fabrication.
- The developed flexible Mg3Bi2 films show promising thermoelectric properties and durability for practical applications.
- Flexible Mg3Bi2-based thermoelectric devices exhibit potential for low-temperature difference energy harvesting.
