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Flexible thermoelectric materials and devices for sensing applications
Hongju Zhou1,2, Xuezhong Zhang2, Zhibo Luo3
1College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymer Materials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China. huadeng@scu.edu.cn.
Materials Horizons
|October 13, 2025
Summary
Flexible thermoelectric (FTE) devices offer a sustainable solution for powering sensors in AI and IoT applications. These devices convert temperature differences into electricity, enabling self-powered sensors with broad applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Energy Harvesting
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Growing demand for flexible, portable, and sustainable sensors in AI and IoT.
- Need for efficient energy harvesting to power these advanced sensors.
- Flexible thermoelectric (FTE) devices offer a promising solution due to their unique properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review fundamental knowledge on FTE materials and devices.
- To highlight recent advancements in state-of-the-art FTE materials and devices.
- To outline sensing application scenarios and discuss future prospects.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of FTE materials and devices.
- Systematic outline of representative sensing application scenarios.
- Discussion of current development bottlenecks and future challenges.
Main Results:
- FTE devices convert temperature differentials into voltage, offering flexibility and long service lives.
- Applications include temperature, pressure, strain, airflow, and respiration sensors, as well as electronic skin.
- Recent progress in FTE materials and device development has been highlighted.
Conclusions:
- FTE devices are crucial for self-powered, flexible sensors in emerging technologies.
- Addressing current bottlenecks is key to advancing FTE technology for sensing.
- Future development holds significant promise for self-powered and flexible sensor systems.
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