High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals.
Screen printing allows for direct conversion of thermoelectric nanocrystals into flexible energy harvesters and coolers. However, obtaining flexible thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit ZT through printing is an exacting challenge due to the difficulties to synthesize high-performance thermoelectric inks and the poor density and electrical conductivity of the printed films. Here, we demonstrate high-performance flexible films and devices by screen printing bismuth telluride based nanocrystal inks synthesized using a microwave-stimulated wet-chemical method. Thermoelectric films of several tens of microns thickness were screen printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate followed by cold compaction and sintering. The n-type films demonstrate a peak ZT of 0.43 along with superior flexibility, which is among the highest reported ZT values in flexible thermoelectric materials. A flexible thermoelectric device fabricated using the printed films produces a high power density of 4.1 mW/cm(2) with 60 °C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. The highly scalable and low cost process to fabricate flexible thermoelectric materials and devices demonstrated here opens up many opportunities to transform thermoelectric energy harvesting and cooling applications.
Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Tony
T
Varghese
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Courtney
C
Hollar
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Joseph
J
Richardson
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Nicholas
N
Kempf
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Chao
C
Han
Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Pasindu
P
Gamarachchi
Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
David
D
Estrada
ThermoAura Inc. 132 B. Railroad Avenue, Colonie, NY 12205, United States.
Rutvik J
RJ
Mehta
Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.|Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, United States.
Yanliang
Y
Zhang