A semi-transparent thermoelectric glazing nanogenerator with aluminium doped zinc oxide and copper iodide thin films

• Published in: Communications engineering 2024-10, Vol.3 (1), p.145-13, Article 145
• Main Authors: Al-Fartoos, Mustafa Majid Rashak, Roy, Anurag, Mallick, Tapas K., Tahir, Asif Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/4077/4107; 639/925/357; Alternative energy; Aluminum; Batch processing; Built environment; Copper; Copper converters; Cost effectiveness; Electricity; Electrodes; Energy consumption; Energy efficiency; Energy harvesting; Engineering; Figure of merit; Glass substrates; Glazes; Glazing; Green buildings; Harnesses; Heat; Iodine; Nanogenerators; Prototypes; Radiation; Sustainable materials; Temperature gradients; Thermoelectricity; Thin films; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 2731-3395; 2731-3395
• DOI: 10.1038/s44172-024-00291-4

To address the pressing need for reducing building energy consumption and combating climate change, thermoelectric glazing (TEGZ) presents a promising solution. This technology harnesses waste heat from buildings and converts it into electricity, while maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures. Here, we developed a TEGZ using cost-effective materials, specifically aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) and copper iodide (CuI). Both AZO and CuI exhibit a high figure of merit (ZT), a key indicator of thermoelectric efficiency, with values of 1.37 and 0.72, respectively, at 340 K, demonstrating their strong potential for efficient heat-to-electricity conversion. Additionally, we fabricated an AZO-CuI based TEGZ prototype (5 × 5 cm²), incorporating eight nanogenerators, each producing 32 nW at 340 K. Early testing of the prototype showed a notable temperature differential of 22.5 °C between the outer and inner surfaces of the window glazing. These results suggest TEGZ could advance building energy efficiency, offering a futuristic approach to sustainable build environment. A thermoelectric glazing prototype made from cost-effective aluminium-doped zinc oxide and copper iodide nanogenerators achieves a 22.5 °C temperature difference on either side of the glaze, harvesting electricity from the differential. Such glazes are critical for increasing energy efficiency in the built environment.