Flexible thermoelectric materials and device optimization for wearable energy harvesting. Issue 40 (20th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bahk, Je-Hyeong; Fang, Haiyu; Yazawa, Kazuaki; Shakouri, Ali
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 3:Issue 40(2015)
• Page Start: 10362
• Page End: 10374
• Publication Date: 2015-07-20
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Optical materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Electronics -- Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c5tc01644d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7526

Abstract

Abstract : In this paper, we review recent advances in the development of flexible thermoelectric materials and devices for wearable human body-heat energy harvesting applications. Abstract : In this paper, we review recent advances in the development of flexible thermoelectric materials and devices for wearable human body-heat energy harvesting applications. We identify various emerging applications such as specialized medical sensors where wearable thermoelectric generators can have advantages over other energy sources. To meet the performance requirements for these applications, we provide detailed design guidelines regarding the properties of the material, device dimensions, and gap fillers by performing realistic device simulations with important parasitic losses taken into account. For this, we review recently emerging flexible thermoelectric materials suited for wearable applications, such as polymer-based materials and screen-printed paste-type inorganic materials. A few examples among these materials are selected for thermoelectric device simulations in order to find optimal design parameters for wearable applications. Finally we discuss the feasibility of scalable and cost-effective manufacturing of thermoelectric energy harvesting devices with desired dimensions.