Versatile polymer-coated Ag2Se thermoelectric materials and devices for multi-scenario applications developed by direct-ink printing

Jie Qin, Yong Du (), Qiufeng Meng, Song Chen, Min Hong () and Qinfei Ke ()
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Jie Qin: Shanghai Institute of Technology
Yong Du: Shanghai Institute of Technology
Qiufeng Meng: Shanghai Institute of Technology
Song Chen: Fujian University of Technology
Min Hong: University of Southern Queensland
Qinfei Ke: Shanghai Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Flexible thermoelectrics offer eco-friendly solutions for wearable health monitoring, smart sensors, and energy harvesting. However, challenges remain in device fabrication and performance enhancement. Herein, flexible thermoelectric films—Ag2Se/methylcellulose, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)@Ag2Se/methylcellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone@Ag2Se/methylcellulose—are fabricated via a scalable and economical direct-ink printing method. After cold pressing and annealing, the polyvinylpyrrolidone@Ag2Se/methylcellulose film shows a record-high power factor of 2191.5 μWm−1K−2 at 400 K among all the flexible organic/inorganic films prepared via direct-ink printing. The heterointerfaces, pores, boundaries, and dislocations formed in the composite films through the fabrication procedure are beneficial for enhancing the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity simultaneously, as well as reducing the thermal conductivity. Three-leg flexible thermoelectric generators are fabricated using a direct-ink printing process, yielding a power density of 22.1 W/m2 at a ΔT of 36.1 K. Such devices have been applied across various scenarios, including low-grade heat recovery, position identification, light-heat-electricity conversion, and respiratory monitoring. The direct-ink printing and thermoelectric performance optimization strategies have universal applicability, exhibiting potential for advancing flexible wearable electronics.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63390-6

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