Large-area radiation-modulated thermoelectric fabrics for high-performance thermal management and electricity generation.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39752504.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.adr2158 and PMC identifier 11698087.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
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Abstract
Flexible thermoelectric systems capable of converting human body heat or solar heat into sustainable electricity are crucial for the development of self-powered wearable electronics. However, challenges persist in maintaining a stable temperature gradient and enabling scalable fabrication for their commercialization. Herein, we present a facile approach involving the screen printing of large-scale carbon nanotube (CNT)-based thermoelectric arrays on conventional textile. These arrays were integrated with the radiation-modulated thermoelectric fabrics of electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) membranes for the low-cost and high-performance wearable self-power application. Combined with the excellent photothermal properties of CNTs, the resulting thermoelectric fabric (0.2 square meters) achieves a substantial Δ<i>T</i> of 37 kelvin under a solar intensity of ~800 watt per square meter, yielding a peak power density of 0.20 milliwatt per square meter. This study offers a pragmatic pathway to simultaneously address thermal management and electricity generation in self-powered wearable applications by efficiently harvesting solar energy.