A flexible thermoelectric generator has been created in Russia
A flexible thermoelectric generator has been developed in Russia by scientists at the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology. This generator converts heat into electrical energy and is created using the screen printing method based on suspensions containing bismuth, tellurium, and antimony compounds.
Flexible TEGs are currently in the research stage but are already of significant interest to the scientific and industrial communities. While the screen printing technology is available, it requires solving a number of complex issues. For instance, scientists have encountered challenges in selecting the binding material for creating branches of thermocouples.
In the future, researchers plan to optimize the development by using materials with various additives.
The outcomes of this work could be used to create flexible TEGs capable of taking on required shapes within certain limits.