The rapid development of the Internet of Things increases the demand for wearable devices. Compared with traditional chemical batteries, flexible thermoelectric technology contributes a solution for solving the power supply of wearable electronics. Here, we prepared n-type Bi2Te3 and p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 flexible thermoelectric films by the magnetron sputtering method, where the thermoelectric performance and their microstructures are systematically studied. The carrier concentration and mobility are optimized by adjusting the deposition temperature, eventually improving the thermoelectric performance and achieving the room-temperature power factors of 3.2 and 6.1 μW cm−1 K−2 for Bi2Te3 and Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 films, respectively. Furthermore, after being bent 900 times with a radius of 5 mm, the resistance of these films barely increases, demonstrating the great potential for applications in wearable electronics. In order to further evaluate the practicability, these films are used to design a flexible thermoelectric generator, in which output performance improves with the increase in the temperature difference. The power density is up to ∼218.8 μW cm−2 at temperature differences of ∼41 K.
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10 January 2022
Research Article|
January 10 2022
Bi2Te3-based flexible thermoelectric generator for wearable electronics Available to Purchase
Special Collection:
Thermoelectric Materials Science and Technology Towards Applications
Qi Zou
;
Qi Zou
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Hongjing Shang;
Hongjing Shang
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Daxing Huang;
Daxing Huang
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Bowei Xie
;
Bowei Xie
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Lin Zhang;
Lin Zhang
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Kai Wang;
Kai Wang
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Hao Dong;
Hao Dong
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Congmeng Li
;
Congmeng Li
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Hongwei Gu;
Hongwei Gu
a)
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Fazhu Ding
Fazhu Ding
a)
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
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Qi Zou
1,2
Hongjing Shang
1,2
Daxing Huang
1,2
Bowei Xie
1,2
Lin Zhang
1,2
Kai Wang
1,2
Hao Dong
1,2
Congmeng Li
1,2
Hongwei Gu
1,2,a)
Fazhu Ding
1,2,a)
1
Key Laboratory of Applied Superconductivity and Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100190, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
, Beijing 100049, China
Note: This paper is part of the APL Special Collection on Thermoelectric Materials Science and Technology Towards Applications.
Appl. Phys. Lett. 120, 023903 (2022)
Article history
Received:
November 12 2021
Accepted:
December 24 2021
Citation
Qi Zou, Hongjing Shang, Daxing Huang, Bowei Xie, Lin Zhang, Kai Wang, Hao Dong, Congmeng Li, Hongwei Gu, Fazhu Ding; Bi2Te3-based flexible thermoelectric generator for wearable electronics. Appl. Phys. Lett. 10 January 2022; 120 (2): 023903. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0078389
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