Flexible Thermoelectric Fabrics for Thermal Management

NU 2018-037

INVENTORS

• Matthew Grayson*
• Adam Edward Jakus
• Jun Peng
• Nicholas Geisendorfer
• Ramille Shah

SHORT DESCRIPTION

This technology introduces ground-breaking flexible, woven thermoelectric materials capable of converting waste heat into electrical power, ideal for wearable tech and low-power devices. 

BACKGROUND

Waste heat is an underutilized resource for energy harvesting in wearable and industrial applications.  Conventional thermoelectric materials are expensive, restricted in size, rigid, and fragile, thus limiting their potential for flexible applications. While thin films and conducting polymers have been explored, they are unsuitable for integration into fabrics and the production costs are high.  Therefore, a significant need exists for flexible, scalable, and economical platforms capable of efficient thermal management and energy recovery, particularly for wearable and industrial applications.

ABSTRACT

This invention features flexible thermoelectric fabrics composed of woven longitudinal and transverse threads integrating n-type and p-type thermoelectric components alongside insulating elements (see Figure), enabling effective thermal management and energy harvesting from waste heat. This technology uses a novel approach to fabricating flexible thermoelectric threads by embedding thermoelectric semiconductor powder (e.g. Bi2Te3) in a polymer matrix. The extruded threads are then interwoven with double-sided insulating/conducting ribbon using commercial looms. The materials are cheap, abundant, and commercially available, and the manufacturing process is highly scalable.  Thus, this invention enables a cost-effective, durable, and portable solution for wearable energy harvesting and industrial applications currently unavailable with existing thermoelectric technologies.

APPLICATIONS

• Wearable Energy Harvesting
  • Integrates into fabrics/clothing, enabling energy harvesting for wearables and ambient-power devices.
• Industrial Waste Heat Recovery
  • Harvests ambient heat from industrial equipment to generate supplemental power.
• Active Thermal Management
  • Delivers on-demand cooling or heating for wearable and industrial systems.

ADVANTAGES

• Flexible and Durable
  • Provides excellent flexibility with minimal resistance change during bending.
• Scalable Manufacturing
  • Utilizes conventional weaving techniques for cost-effective, large-scale production.
• Cheap and Abundant Materials
  • Overcomes existing cost limitations of current technologies with inexpensive, commercially-available materials.
• Multifunctionality
  • Enables both energy harvesting and active thermal management through tailored conductive pathways.

PUBLICATIONS

Peng, J., Witting, I., Geisendorfer, N. et al. 3D extruded composite thermoelectric threads for flexible energy harvesting. Nat Commun 10, 5590 (2019).

IP STATUS

Issued US Patent US11417817B2