Revolutionizing energy harvesting: A comprehensive review of thermoelectric devices

Abstract

The necessity for a shift to alternative forms of energy is highlighted by both approaching consequences of climate change and limited availability of fossil fuels. While a large portion of energy required can be generated by solar and wind, a diverse, sustainable energy generation mix is still necessary to meet our energy needs. By capturing otherwise lost heat energy and turning it into valuable electrical energy, thermoelectric can play a significant part in this. Using the Seebeck effect, thermoelectric generators (TEG) have established their capability to transform thermal energy into electrical energy directly. Furthermore, because they do not include chemical compounds, they are silent in operation and can be built on various substrates, including silicon, polymers, and ceramics. Moreover, thermoelectric generators have a long operational lifetime, are position independent, and may be integrated into bulky, flexible devices. However, the low conversion efficiency of TEG has confined their broad application, hampering them to an academic subject. Until now, recent developments in thermoelectric generators and devices are presuming the technology to catch its place among state-of-the-art energy conversion systems. This review presents the commonly used methods for producing thermoelectric modules (TEMs) and the materials currently studied for TEMs in bulk and printed thermoelectric devices.