Flexible and stretchable thermoelectric devices with Ni-EGaIn liquid metal electrodes for cooling and low-grade-body heat harvesting

Thermoelectric devices based on the Seebeck and Peltier effects enable both converting heat into electricity and energize cooling, presenting a promising potential for personalized thermoregulation. However, when used as a wearable electronic, the flexibility and stretchability of thermoelectric devices with both cooling and heat conversion capabilities rely on solid-state wires connecting p-and n-type materials, which limits the practical application due to the increased resistance and reduced mechanical stability. Here, we propose a stretchable thermoelectric device with liquid metal electrodes that can achieve a temperature reduction of 7.8 K ( +/- 0.2) at 5 V and generate 26.2 mV when worn. Owing to the integration of nickel-doped EGaIn liquid metal electrodes and flexible silicone matrix, the stretchable thermoelectric device is still able to maintain excellent cooling even when stretched to strains above 30%, presenting a promising prospect in wearable coolers.(c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A stretchable thermoelectric device with liquid metal electrodes is proposed in this study, which can achieve a temperature reduction of 7.8K (+/- 0.2) and generate a voltage of 26.2mV when worn. By integrating nickel-doped EGaIn liquid metal electrodes and a flexible silicone matrix, the stretchable thermoelectric device can maintain excellent cooling even when stretched to strains above 30%, showing promising prospects for wearable coolers.