Assembly of Liquid-based thermoelectric generator modules based on amine bonding

Abstract In the previous years, it has been shown that ionic liquids (IL) are good candidates as base material for thermo-electric generators (TEG). Having identified promising ILs, next step is building a module integrating those and enabling its use with consumer devices. To keep flexibility given by liquid TEG, all involved materials must be flexible. A TEG composed of three different layers: 1) bottom electrode foil, 2) core containing cavities liquids, 3) top foil. The foil flexible, tight, easily shaped exhibit low thermal conductivity. Inspired microfluidics, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was chosen. foils have to withstand metal coating patterning, flexible while retaining electrical conductivity, not react liquids. Unfortunately, PDMS bonded another polymer. Moreover, hermetic sealing in cavity keeping contact critical. being serial connected, if one junction fails entire fails. this paper, we demonstrate way create first using amine-based bonding liquids-accepting housing, then filling featuring Seebeck coefficients, home built vacuum chamber. results on encouraging; they ensure tightness 100 contacts between ILs electrodes. coefficient (SE) 1 mV∙K−1 measured, which inferior expected value thus asking multiple improvements. However, rather seen proof concept, especially concerning liquid, manufacturing process highly integrated liquid-containing