Abstract Flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs) featuring out-of-plane thermoelement architecture and operating without internal interconnects are essential for achieving efficient power generation. In this work, a flexible TEG is designed and fabricated featuring monolithically integrated p -type single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate composite films and n -type SWCNT films arranged in an out-of-plane configuration. This monolithic architecture eliminates the internal metallic interconnects, substantially reducing the internal resistance and enhancing the temperature gradient (Δ T ) across the device. The thermoelectric films, prepared by vacuum filtration and drop-casting, exhibit Seebeck coefficients of 52.7 µV/°C for the p -type and − 42.1 µV/°C for the n -type films. Finite element analysis of the TEG confirmed a linear dependence of the open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) on Δ T , consistent with theoretical predictions. The fabricated flexible TEG, consisting six p - and n -type thermoelement pairs, generated V oc values approximately 3.48 mV and 14 mV under Δ T of 10.1 °C and 30.6 °C, respectively. Correspondingly, a maximum output power of approximately 1.6 µW and an areal power density of 0.9 µW/cm² was achieved by the TEG at a Δ T of 30.6 °C. These findings demonstrate a simple and scalable route toward architecturally optimized flexible TEGs based on monolithically integrated thin-film thermoelements.
Hasan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.