Semi-analytical solutions of three-dimensional thermoelectromechanical coupling frictionless contact problem of thermoelectric materials

Abstract

This study presents a detailed analysis of the three-dimensional thermoelectromechanical coupling frictionless contact problems for thermoelectric materials. The transformed Green’s functions, known as frequency response functions, for thermoelectric materials under the combined influence of multiple physical fields are analytically derived. The surface pressure, heat flow, and electric current then are numerically calculated with the help of the conjugate gradient method and discrete convolution–fast Fourier transform arithmetic. A comparative study is conducted to demonstrate the validity and convergence of the semi-analytical model. A detailed parametric analysis is carried out to investigate the interaction mechanisms between externally applied physical fields, such as current and energy flux, and contact responses, including contact pressure, contact radius, and others. The research findings are of significant importance for the optimization design of contact performance in thermoelectric materials.