Flexible Thermoelectric Films Research Articles

Novel Nanodispersed Polymer Complex, Poly(nickel 1,1,2,2-ethenetetrathiolate): Preparation and Hybridization for n-Type of Organic Thermoelectric Materials

Abstract Although the polymer complex, poly(nickel 1,1,2,2-ethenetetrathiolate) (Ni-PETT), is an interesting n-type organic thermoelectric material, it is insoluble in all kinds of solvents. We prepared nanoparticles of Ni-PETT (n-Ni-PETTs) using a surfactant, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, as an additive during the synthesis of the polymer complex. The n-Ni-PETTs were well dispersed in an organic solvent like N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and could provide smooth, tough, and flexible n-type thermoelectric films by hybridization with poly(vinyl chloride).

Fabrication of flexible thermoelectric thin film devices by inkjet printing.

Ink-jet printing of thermoelectric nanomaterials is successfully used to fabricate flexible thin film TE devices for power generation and cooling.

P-Type Sb2Te3 and n-Type Bi2Te3 Films for Thermoelectric Modules Deposited by Thermally Assisted Sputtering Method

We developed a thermally assisted sputtering method (TASM) based on direct current magnetron sputtering to increase the rates of deposition of Sb2Te3 and Bi2Te3 films. The sputtering target was heated with the thermal energy of Ar plasma without any additional heating systems. The stoichiometric Sb2Te3 (p-type) and Bi2Te3 (n-type) films were obtained by TASM. The maximum deposition rate of the films was approximately 1.6 µm/min, which is large for a sputtering method. The differences in the composition ratio between the sputtering target and the deposited films were as small as 3.6 (p-type) and 1.5% (n-type). TASM was applied to the fabrication of a flexible thermoelectric film module. The generation properties of the film module coincided with the values that were estimated on the basis of the thermoelectric properties of films deposited on a SiO2 glass substrate. These results indicate that TASM is useful for fabricating thermoelectric film modules.

Flexible PEDOT electrodes with large thermoelectric power factors to generate electricity by the touch of fingertips

Highly conductive PEDOT films were prepared by solution casting polymerization using finely tuned oxidation solution and used as electrodes for the precise control of the oxidation level of the polymer electrochemically. They exhibited a large power factor of 1,270 μW m−1 K−2 and could be processed as flexible and cuttable thermoelectric films to generate electricity by fingertips.