Hybrid composite of screen-printed inorganic thermoelectric film and organic conducting polymer for flexible thermoelectric power generator

TEG (Thermoelectric power generator) modules are attractive energy harvesters, as they can deliver electrical output power from the temperature difference of all sorts of things. Recently, growing interests in self-powered wearable mobile electronics provoke the necessity of flexible TEG modules. However, the technology on flexible TEG modules is still at a very early stage. Here we demonstrate flexible high-performance TEG modules using a screen-printed inorganic thermoelectric thick film and organic conducting polymer hybrid composite. By infiltrating the organic conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), into the micropores of the screen-printed thermoelectric thick film, the flexibility of the module is greatly enhanced without degradation of the output characteristics of the module. This work provides a promising new approach which has the potential to achieve a flexible high-performance TEG module. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.