Thermoelectric Interlayer Reduces Contact Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermoelectric devices face high contact resistance between thermoelectric legs and electrodes due to poor wetting properties, leading to increased total internal resistance and reduced power generation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a chemically bonded interlayer between the thermoelectric leg and electrode, made of materials like silane terminated polystyrene polymer, to act as a tunneling path and reduce contact resistance, facilitating charge movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a direct contact structure is used between thermoelectric leg and electrode, then the device structure is simple, but the contact resistance is high due to poor wetting properties
Solution Approach 1:
An interlayer comprising silane-terminated polystyrene polymer is introduced between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode. This interlayer acts as an intermediary that chemically bonds to both the thermoelectric leg (via interaction with PSS) and the electrode, creating an effective tunneling path for charge carriers while improving wetting properties and reducing contact resistance.
2Reliability
If an interlayer is added to reduce contact resistance, then the contact resistance decreases and power generation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interlayer undergoes annealing treatment at temperatures between 60°C and 150°C for 1 hour or more, which changes the physical and chemical parameters of the polymer material. This thermal treatment optimizes the bonding characteristics and tunneling properties of the interlayer, achieving low contact resistance while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional materials are used for thermoelectric legs and electrodes, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the wetting properties are poor and energy barrier is high
Solution Approach 1:
The interlayer is formed using a composite approach combining silane-terminated polystyrene polymer with the thermoelectric leg material (PEDOT:PSS). The silane groups chemically bond to the PSS component while the polystyrene matrix provides the tunneling path, creating a composite interface structure that simultaneously improves wetting properties and reduces energy barrier.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The interlayer significantly decreases contact resistance, resulting in lower total internal resistance and enhanced power generation for the thermoelectric device, while also enabling large-scale production at reduced costs.
Implementation Method 1
the interlayer serves as a tunneling path between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, facilitating the charge movements between the two materials
Implementation Method 2
the Seebeck effect that electricity is generated when there is temperature difference across a thermoelectric material
Implementation Method 3
the Peltier effect that a temperature different is created across a thermoelectric material in which the current flows
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a thermoelectric device in which a separate interlayer is inserted between a thermoelectric leg and an electrode to reduce the contact resistance between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, so that the interlayer serves as a tunneling path between the thermoelectric leg and the electrode, facilitating the charge movements between the two materials. The thermoelectric device according to an embodiment includes a substrate; at least one thermoelectric leg positioned on the substrate; an interlayer positioned on each thermoelectric leg of the at least one thermoelectric leg and including a plurality of interlayer materials that are chemically bonded with a respective thermoelectric leg; and an electrode positioned on each interlayer and electrically connected to the respective thermoelectric leg, wherein the plurality of interlayer materials of each respective interlayer is arranged in a shape of a brush.