title: Enhanced performance of dispenser printed MA n-type Bi₂Te₃ composite thermoelectric generators.
abstract: This work presents performance advancements of dispenser printed composite thermoelectric materials and devices. Dispenser printed thick films allow for low-cost and scalable manufacturing of microscale energy harvesting devices. A maximum ZT value of 0.31 has been achieved for mechanically alloyed (MA) n-type Bi₂Te₃-epoxy composite films with 1 wt % Se cured at 350 °C. The enhancement of ZT is a result of increase in the electrical conductivity through the addition of Se, which ultimately lowers the sintering temperature (350 °C). A 62 single-leg thermoelectric generator (TEG) prototype with 5 mm ×700 μm × 120 μm printed element dimensions was fabricated on a custom designed polyimide substrate with thick metal contacts. The prototype device produced a power output of 25 μW at 0.23 mA current and 109 mV voltage for a temperature difference of 20 °C, which is sufficient for low power generation for autonomous microsystem applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and §Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Madan
authors.forename: Zuoqian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Alic
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rei-Cheng
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Juang
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keist
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Jim W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D001729:Bismuth / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008904:Miniaturization; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D013691:Tellurium; D001729:Bismuth