Dispenser-printed planar thick-film thermoelectric energy generators
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Chen, A, D Madan, P K Wright, and J W Evans. “Dispenser-Printed Planar Thick-Film Thermoelectric Energy Generators.” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 21, no. 10 (2011): 104006. https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/21/10/104006.
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Abstract
This work presents advancements in dispenser-printed thick film thermoelectric materials for the fabrication of planar and printable thermoelectric energy generators. The thermoelectric properties of the printed thermoelectric materials were measured as a function of temperature. The maximum dimensionless figures of merit (ZTs) at 302 K for the n-type Bi₂Te₃-epoxy composite and the p-type Sb₂Te₃-epoxy composite are 0.18 and 0.19, respectively. A 50-couple prototype with 5 mm × 640 µm × 90 µm printed element dimensions was fabricated on a polyimide substrate with evaporated metal contacts. The prototype device produced a power output of 10.5 µW at 61.3 µA and 171.6 mV for a temperature difference of 20 K resulting in a device areal power density of 75 µW cm⁻².