Ink-Jet Printing of Flexible Polymer Thermoelectric Devices

My doctoral project targets new solutions to recycle waste heat by turning it into electrical power. In particular, clean electrical power can be generated in a semiconductor when a temperature difference does exist between the hot and the cold side of said material. Our group at INRS-EMT has started a unique research line in Canada that studies semiconducting polymer inks as possible candidates for thermoelectrics. Currently, our facilities and expertise at INRS-EMT (Prof. Orgiu) can only lead to increase of fundamental knowledge about heat transport in polymers. However, in order to fabricate real thermoelectric devices, called thermoelectric generators (TEGs), one needs to deposit thick polymer layers over very small areas. Such deposition can be made, under the supervision of Prof. Piro, over different types of (flexible) substrates through polymer ink-jet printers available at Paris Diderot University. The expected outcome is the realization of polymer-based TEGs over flexible and transparent substrates.

Faculty Supervisor:

Emanuele Orgiu

Student:

Partner:

Université de Paris

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Nanotechnology; Energy and Utilities; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

Université du Québec : Institut national de la recherche scientifique

Program: