(A) study on the performance improvement of flexible thermoelectric power generators

Abstract

Thermoelectric (TE) power generation, one of the energy harvesting technologies, has been studied in many fields in recent years. Among them, flexible thermoelectric power generators (f-TEGs) have attracted significant attention because they can form a new application field by increasing design freedom for various types of heat sources. Although inorganic TE materials and f-TEGs are being studied in each field, TE properties and reproducibility of fabricated devices are not guaranteed for applications in real life. This Ph.D. dissertation proposes multiple methods to improve the reproducibility of f-TEGs and their output characteristics. In order to improve the performance of screen printing-based f-TEGs, it contains studies based on four different strategies from process to material. First, we introduce a study to unify and optimize the crystallization process of materials to improve the reproducibility of material properties. In addition, a technique for stably forming a TE electrode layer by introducing an ultraviolet assisted curing system and controlling the orientation of the TE material will be introduced. Finally, we will discuss how to maximize the characteristics of the thermoelectric material through grain interface control technology.