High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals
Abstract
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/cm2 with 60°C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. In conclusion, 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.
- Authors:
-
- Boise State Univ., Boise, ID (United States)
- ThermoAura Inc., Colonie, NY (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Boise State Univ., Boise, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1435601
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NE0008255
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Scientific Reports
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 6; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2045-2322
- Publisher:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; 30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Energy science and technology; Thermoelectrics
Citation Formats
Varghese, Tony, Hollar, Courtney, Richardson, Joseph, Kempf, Nicholas, Han, Chao, Gamarachchi, Pasindu, Estrada, David, Mehta, Rutvik J., and Zhang, Yanliang. High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1038/srep33135.
Varghese, Tony, Hollar, Courtney, Richardson, Joseph, Kempf, Nicholas, Han, Chao, Gamarachchi, Pasindu, Estrada, David, Mehta, Rutvik J., & Zhang, Yanliang. High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep33135
Varghese, Tony, Hollar, Courtney, Richardson, Joseph, Kempf, Nicholas, Han, Chao, Gamarachchi, Pasindu, Estrada, David, Mehta, Rutvik J., and Zhang, Yanliang. Mon .
"High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep33135. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1435601.
@article{osti_1435601,
title = {High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals},
author = {Varghese, Tony and Hollar, Courtney and Richardson, Joseph and Kempf, Nicholas and Han, Chao and Gamarachchi, Pasindu and Estrada, David and Mehta, Rutvik J. and Zhang, Yanliang},
abstractNote = {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/cm2 with 60°C temperature difference between the hot side and cold side. In conclusion, 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.},
doi = {10.1038/srep33135},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
number = 1,
volume = 6,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 12 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Mon Sep 12 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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Figures / Tables:
Figure 1: Schematic illustration of overall fabrication process for the flexible thermoelectric films, including nanocrystal synthesis, nano-ink processing, screen printing of thermoelectric films on flexible substrate, and sintered flexible films.
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Figures / Tables found in this record:
Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.