摘要
Dispenser-printed thick-film thermoelectric modules (TF-TEMs) are an appealing option for energy harvesting and active heat dissipation applications due to their ease of processing and low material consumption. In this study, a flexible TF-TEM comprising six pairs of 300 mu m-thick Bi2Te3-based legs was fabricated on a polyimide substrate via dispenser printing and a single-step sintering/bonding process. A selectively plated Ni/Pd barrier metallization was introduced to suppress interfacial reactions between the printed legs and Cu pads for improved structural integrity. The device delivered a maximum output power of similar to 350 mu W at Delta T = 32 K and a coefficient of performance of 3.2 at a heat pumping capacity of 26 mW/cm(2). Furthermore, stable electrical resistance was maintained for the TF-TEM after 500 cycles of bending at a radius of 30 mm. This study demonstrates a feasible route toward monolithic integration of TF-TEMs for power generation of wearable devices and heat dissipation of microsystems.