Stencil-Printed Scalable Radial Thermoelectric Device Using Sustainable Manufacturing Methods

Eunhwa Jang, Rohan B. Ambade, Priyanshu Banerjee, L. D. Timmie Topoleski and Deepa Madan ()
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Eunhwa Jang: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
Rohan B. Ambade: Advanced Research & Innovation Center, Aerospace Engineering, Khalifa University of Science & Technology, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
Priyanshu Banerjee: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
L. D. Timmie Topoleski: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
Deepa Madan: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: In this study, we used n-chitosan-Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 and p-chitosan-Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 composite inks to print a circular thermoelectric generator (TEG) device using a low-energy-input curing method. Thermoelectric (TE) composite films were fabricated using varying sizes of thermoelectric particles and a small chitosan binder (0.05 wt. %). The particles and binder were hot pressed at an applied pressure of 200 MPa and cured at 200 °C for 30 min. We achieved ZT of 0.35 for the n-type and 0.7 for the p-type TE composite films measured at room temperature. A radial TEG was fabricated using the best-performing n-type and p-type composite inks and achieved a power output of 87 µW and a power density of 727 µW/cm 2 at a temperature difference of 35 K; these are among the best-reported values for printed TEG devices. Using a low-energy-input fabrication method, we eliminated the need for high-temperature and long-duration curing processes to fabricate printing devices. Thus, we envisage that the low-energy-input curing process and cost-effective printable strategy presented in this work pave the way for sustainable manufacturing of large-scale energy harvesting TEG devices.

Keywords: radial thermoelectric devices; energy-efficient curing; chitosan binder; mixed grain size; thermoelectric composites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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