High-performance flexible thermoelectric generator for self-powered wireless BLE sensing systems

• Published in: Journal of power sources 2022-07, Vol.536, p.231504, Article 231504
• Main Authors: Van Toan, Nguyen, Kim Tuoi, Truong Thi, Ono, Takahito
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electrodeposited thermoelectric materials; Flexible thermoelectric generator; Low-power consumption; Polyimide substrate; Wireless self-powered sensing systems
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2022.231504

This work reports a high-performance flexible thermoelectric generator (TEG) and its application for self-powered wireless Bluetooth (BLE) sensing systems. The proposed flexible TEG based on a polyimide substrate and an electrodeposited thermoelectric material is fabricated successfully. A high output voltage of 1.3 V is observed under a temperature difference ΔT of 52 °C. Its maximum output power and power density are 95.9 mW and 610.8 μW/cm2, respectively, under the same above ΔT. In addition, its remarkable flexible characteristic has been inspected, and its output performance is highly consistent under a repeatability evaluation. Our proposed flexible TEG shows much higher performance than that of other recently published works. Furthermore, two practical applications utilizing the fabricated flexible TEG have been successfully conducted. First, heat waste from an electric thermos pot is converted into electricity and used as an electrical power source for electronic devices. Second, a self-power wireless BLE sensing system driven by thermal heat waste is demonstrated. This work brings out a new opportunity in a futuristic flexible TEG to harvest thermal heat waste into useable electricity, especially in the fields of using wireless self-powered IoT sensing systems. •High-performance flexible thermoelectric generator.•High output voltage of 1.3 V under a ΔT of 52 °C.•Output power density of 610.8 μW/cm2.•Two practical applications utilizing the fabricated flexible TEG.•A self-powered wireless BLE sensing system driven by thermal heat waste.