title: Integration of ZnO and CuO nanowires into a thermoelectric module.
abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO, n-type) and copper oxide (CuO, p-type) nanowires have been synthesized and preliminarily investigated as innovative materials for the fabrication of a proof-of-concept thermoelectric device. The Seebeck coefficients, electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power factors (TPF) of both semiconductor materials have been determined independently using a custom experimental set-up, leading to results in agreement with available literature with potential improvement. Combining bundles of ZnO and CuO nanowires in a series of five thermocouples on alumina leads to a macroscopic prototype of a planar thermoelectric generator (TEG) unit. This demonstrates the possibility of further integration of metal oxide nanostructures into efficient thermoelectric devices.
authors.affiliation: SENSOR Lab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy ; CNR-INO, U.O.S. Brescia, SENSOR Lab, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zappa
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalola
authors.affiliation: SENSOR Lab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy ; CNR-INO, U.O.S. Brescia, SENSOR Lab, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faglia
authors.affiliation: SENSOR Lab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy ; CNR-INO, U.O.S. Brescia, SENSOR Lab, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Comini
authors.affiliation: SENSOR Lab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy ; CNR-INO, U.O.S. Brescia, SENSOR Lab, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferroni
authors.affiliation: SENSOR Lab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy ; CNR-INO, U.O.S. Brescia, SENSOR Lab, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy ; Currently at ETCs.r.l., via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soldano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: SENSOR Lab, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Brescia, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia, Italy ; CNR-INO, U.O.S. Brescia, SENSOR Lab, via Branze 45, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sberveglieri
keywords: copper oxide; nanowires; thermoelectric; zinc oxide