Annular screen printed thermoelectric generators for ultra-low-power sensor applications

16th International Conference on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications

物理学;能源学

Gima, Z.T.^1 ; Gururangan, K.^2 ; Evans, J.^2 ; Wright, P.^1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

CA

94720, United States^1

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

CA

94720, United States^2

关键词: Device fabrications;    Material preparation;    Materials preparations;    Mechanical failures;    Mitigation strategy;    Thermo-electric generators;    Thermoelectric element;    Ultra-low-power sensors;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/773/1/012115/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/773/1/012115

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

We report on the materials preparation and device fabrication for screen printed Bi2Te3/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3annular thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for use in ultra-low-power sensor applications. At a 20K temperature gradient, test couples - n- & p-type 1 cm2squares connected electrically in series with printed Ag traces - demonstrated an average power of 0.068nW at 26nA and 2.6mV. The material preparation leverages mechanical alloying for both the n- and p-type materials in order to reduce electrical resistivity and increase device power output. Screen printed thermoelectric elements were found to have substantial challenges with mechanical failure due to cracking and delamination. This work specifically describes these challenges and corresponding mitigation strategies for screen printing the TEG slurries.