| Title: |
Printed origami thermoelectric generator achieves > 20 Wm−² from low-grade heat via material and process design |
| Authors: |
Nan Luo; Zirui Wang; Ajay Kumar Verma; Muhammad Irfan Khan; Leonard Franke; Jiayi Liu; Alexei Nefedov; Marc Schneider; Holger Geßwein; Erich Müller; Kirsten Drüppel; Tobias Weingaertner; Yolita M. Eggeler; Uli Lemmer; Md Mofasser Mallick |
| Source: |
Nature Communications, Vol 17, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2026) |
| Publisher Information: |
Nature Portfolio, 2026. |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
LCC:Science |
| Subject Terms: |
Science |
| Description: |
Abstract Printing facilitates low-cost thermoelectric generators to power battery-free internet-of-things devices, wearables, and Industry 4.0 systems. However, scaling up requires printable thermoelectric materials with good mechanical properties and high performance. Here, we report a high-performance Ag2(Se1-x S x )1.05-based n-type printed thermoelectric film through a combination of engineering non-stoichiometric defects and sulfur substitution. An optimal sulfur substitution of 2 at. % facilitates an excellent flexibility and a power factor of~16 µWcm−1 K−2 at 360 K, a 65 % increase compared to a pristine Ag2Se film. A fully printed origami-thermoelectric generator produces a maximum power output $${P}_{\max }$$ P max of 907 µW at a temperature difference of 80 K. A record-high power density p d of 21 W m−2 (corresponding to 800 µW g−1 as a weight-normalized power density) is achieved, twice that of previously reported origami-thermoelectric generators. These results highlight cost-effective manufacturing of thermoelectric generators with the capability to power next-generation autonomous electronic devices. |
| Document Type: |
article |
| File Description: |
electronic resource |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
2041-1723 |
| Relation: |
https://doaj.org/toc/2041-1723 |
| DOI: |
10.1038/s41467-026-68852-z |
| Access URL: |
https://doaj.org/article/b8e8e77196964ca098ca52c19bf8d86a |
| Accession Number: |
edsdoj.b8e8e77196964ca098ca52c19bf8d86a |
| Database: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |