An all-in-one Ag<sub>2</sub>Se-based flexible solar-thermoelectric generator with photothermal integration.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41629356.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-69120-w and PMC identifier 12966293.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Flexible solar-thermoelectric generators hold great promise for efficient solar energy harvesting and power supply in wearable electronics. However, the achievement of strong photothermal and thermoelectric performance simultaneously within a single material remains a significant challenge. Here, we propose a fully integrated solar-thermoelectric generator that directly employs Ag<sub>2</sub>Se thermoelectric thin films as the light-absorbing terminal, combined with a bottom infrared-reflective layer and surface visible anti-reflective coating. This multilayer architecture enables solar-selective absorption and enhances the photothermal conversion efficiency of Ag<sub>2</sub>Se up to 87.6%, while demonstrating good generalizability to other narrow-bandgap thermoelectric films. The resulting ring-shaped flexible generator delivers a maximum temperature difference and power density of 19.6 K and 0.17 μW cm<sup>-2</sup> under 1-sun irradiation and exhibits a stable peak output power of ~1 μW under prolonged outdoor sunlight. These results highlight an effective strategy for high-efficiency solar-thermoelectric generators design and broaden the application potential of narrow-bandgap thermoelectric thin films in photothermal energy conversion.