Sep 15 2010
Most electronic devices use batteries as a power source, but for wireless sensors and medical implants, battery replacement can be a difficult and costly process. Conventional batteries also produce a lot of waste materials and chemicals, so an alternative technology for powering electronic devices is highly sought after.
Thermoelectric generators, which convert thermal energy into electricity, have been touted as a ‘no-fuss’ and environmentally friendly alternative to batteries. These devices use heat from the body — or any object with a temperature gradient — as their energy source, and so are free of running costs and have a virtually unlimited lifetime.
At the heart of every thermoelectric generator is an array of thermocouples that are responsible for converting thermal energy into electricity. Bismuth telluride and its alloys are commonly used in thermocouples, but unfortunately, these materials are difficult to produce and work with. The fabrication process is also incompatible with the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) architecture on which modern electronics is based.
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