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Large Voltage Generation of Flexible Thermoelectric Nanocrystal Thin Films by Finger Contact
Author(s) -
Choi Jinyong,
Cho Kyoungah,
Yun Junggwon,
Park Yoonbeom,
Yang Seunggen,
Kim Sangsig
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201700972
Subject(s) - materials science , thermoelectric effect , thin film , nanocrystal , chalcogenide , optoelectronics , thermal conduction , voltage , seebeck coefficient , temperature gradient , nanotechnology , thermal conductivity , composite material , electrical engineering , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
This paper demonstrates that thermal energy radiated from a human finger can be converted efficiently into electricity by a nanocrystal (NC) thin film that substantially suppresses thermal conduction, but still allows electric conduction. The converting efficiencies of the chalcogenide NC thin films with dimensions 40 µm × 20 µm × 20 nm, prepared on flexible substrates by a solution process, are maximized by adjusting the NC size. A Seebeck coefficient of S = 1829 µV K −1 , and a dimensionless thermoelectric figure‐of‐merit, ZT = 0.68 are achieved at ambient temperature for p‐ and n‐type NC thin films, respectively. A thermoelectric array consisting of p‐ and n‐type NC thin films generates a voltage of 645 mV for a temperature gradient of 10 K. Furthermore, the donut‐shaped pn array can generate a voltage of 170 mV from the heat supplied by an individual's finger.