Programmable and Surface‐Conformable Origami Design for Thermoelectric Devices

Abstract

AbstractThermoelectric devices (TEDs) show great potential for waste heat energy recycling and sensing. However, existing TEDs cannot be self‐adapted to the complex quadratic surface, leading to significant heat loss and restricting their working scenario. Here, surface‐conformable origami‐TEDs (o‐TEGs) are developed through programmable crease‐designed origami substrates and the screen‐printing TE legs. Compared with “π” structured TEDs, the origami design (with heat conductive materials) changed the heat‐transferring direction of the laminated TE legs, resulting in an enhancement in enlarging ΔT/THot and Vout by 5.02 and 3.51 times. Four o‐TEDs with different creases designs are fabricated to verify the heat recycling ability on plane and central quadratic surfaces. Demonstrating a high Vout density (up to 0.98 −2at ΔT of 50 K) and good surface conformability, o‐TEDs are further used in thermal touch panels attached to multiple surfaces, allowing information to be wirelessly transferred on a remote display via finger‐writing.