Unraveling energy consumption by using low-cost and reevaluated thermoelectricThin Films

Abstract

Energy is undoubtedly one of our most important demands whose consumption is constantly increasingand will continue to increase soon. One of the most important factors in attaining the required energy is to providehigh efficiency at a low cost with the help of new technological improvements by evaluating wastes. Energy demandcould be achieved for a relatively large thermoelectric power value by recycling the Peltier modules from waste onesand adjusting their properties with nanotechnology. For this aim, thermoelectric thin film modules were grown onsilicon (Si), glass, and Kapton substrates with thermal evaporation method by using two different BiTeSb/BiTeSealloy materials which are placed in industrial Peltiers as the p- and n-type semiconductor. The thin films structuraland morphological characterizations were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) experiments reveal fine surface with uniformly distributed continuous structure. Seebeck coefficiency (|S|) of thesubstantial modules were investigated by forming certain temperature gradients on them making serial connections usinga homemade measurement setup. |S|=143.86μV/K is obtained for the thermoelectric module on Si substrate and 44.96μV/K and 24.98μV/K are calculated for glass and Kapton, respectively.