Abstract
The optimization of flexible thin‐film thermoelectric generators (TEGs) suitable for large‐area roll‐to‐roll (R2R) processing is investigated. The selection of suitable contact materials, in‐line patterning of connections, and dimension of the thermoelectric (TE) strip are studied. As a result, copper is selected for contacts because it possesses a similar performance to gold while being cheaper. Both in‐series‐ and in‐parallel‐connected devices are found to work well and provide a voltage‐dominant and current‐dominant power source, respectively. The Seebeck coefficient and internal resistance of a device are extracted from the fit line to the measured power data. The in‐parallel‐connected TEG has a much smaller internal resistance and is thus suitable for wearable/portable devices with a small load resistance. A shorter and wider TE strip generates more power. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that experimentally proves a downward trend of power output with increasing strip length. In addition, an industrially feasible/continuous process is proposed for large‐scale manufacture of flexible TEGs, by R2R sputtering TE materials on polymer webs, inkjet printing contacts, and segmenting using a laser. A segmented configuration is able to relieve internal strains in the device, while subjected to bending (e.g., within a wristband) to retain performance.
Highlights
TEGs. 1) Stability: Liu et al.[5] investigated the contact properties between Ni and TE material bismuth telluride (Bi–Te)(–Sb)–Se alloys, and theyWearable/flexible TEGs attract much attention as a constant/local observed a clear interface reaction layer between the TE leg power source for wearable/portable electronics.[1]
Www.entechnol.de specimens grown onto Si wafers because films are too thin to obtain sufficient signals from the coating alone, and the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate has a very broad peak overlapping the peaks of the coating
X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm the metal phase, Ag, Cu, and Au, whereas no peak is observed in the Al film grown on Si wafer, which might be attributed to the flash evaporation during making Al films
Summary
TEGs. 1) Stability (reaction and diffusion passivation): Liu et al.[5] investigated the contact properties between Ni and TE material Bi–Te(–Sb)–Se alloys, and they. Wearable/flexible TEGs attract much attention as a constant/local observed a clear interface reaction layer between the TE leg power source for wearable/portable electronics.[1] Exploration of and contact material, which was formed through the diffusion. The commercialization of flexible TEGs. In a TEG, contacts, typically which resulted in an increase in contact resistance and a loss of metals because of their good electrical/thermal conductivity to avoid device strength. E. Assender Department of Materials University of Oxford and diffusive scattering, and in thin-film TEGs, the thermal contact resistance could be a dominant factor for wearable applications.[9] Considering a simple contact interface without notable
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