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Fan‐Shaped Flexible Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators Based on Bi x Te y and Bi x Sb 2‐ x Te y Fabricated Through Electrochemical Deposition
Author(s) -
Li Junqin,
Tang Xiaobin,
Liu Yunpeng,
Yuan Zicheng,
Xu Zhiheng,
Liu Kai
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.201800707
Subject(s) - thermoelectric effect , seebeck coefficient , analytical chemistry (journal) , electrolyte , materials science , deposition (geology) , thermoelectric generator , electrochemistry , thermoelectric materials , open circuit voltage , voltage , chemistry , electrode , electrical engineering , thermodynamics , physics , paleontology , chromatography , sediment , biology , engineering
This article employs electrochemical deposition to prepare thermoelectric film materials to achieve a miniaturized radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). First, the optimal composition and material properties are obtained by optimizing the deposition potential and the concentration of the electrolyte. The n‐type material can reach the highest thermoelectric power factor of 812.34 μW m −1 K −2 at a deposition potential of 0 V vs Ag/AgCl, and its composition is Bi 1.92 Te 3.08 . The highest power factor of 137.18 μW m −1 K −2 of the p‐type material is obtained when the ratio of the concentration of SbO + to Bi 3+ ions in the electrolyte solution is set to 6 with the deposition potential of −0.12 V vs Ag/AgCl. The composition is Bi 0.68 Sb 1.24 Te 3.08 . Then, a principle fan‐shaped RTG (FRTG) with an overall size of 11 mm (height) × 33.8 mm (diameter) is manufactured and tested. The FRTG generates an open‐circuit voltage of 170.21 mV, a maximum output power of 247.55 nW, and a temperature difference of 57.8 K at 1.5 W heat source. Compared with the RTG prepared by mechanical cutting in previous research, the FRTG exhibits a volume that is reduced by 12.45 times and a voltage that is increased by 60.71%.