Preparation and characterization of segmented stacking for thermoelectric power generation

Based on the Seebeck effect, thermoelectric generators can convert thermal energy directly into electrical power, which can be applied in waste heat recovery and clean energy generation. In this work, segmented thermoelectric legs were prepared with high-performance thermoelectric materials for the fabrication of multistage thermoelectric generators, which can be utilized in medium temperature energy harvesting. The P-type leg material was Pb_0.94Sr_0.04Na_0.02Te/Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃, and the N-type leg material was Pb_0.94Ag_0.01La_0.05Te/Bi₂Te₃. The length ratio of the two segments was optimized based on the energy conversion efficiency under different working conditions. The segmented legs were measured with the four-probe method at different temperatures to evaluate their output performance. At a temperature difference of 420 K, the maximum output power density was 0.40 W/cm² for the P-type leg and 0.32 W/cm² for the N-type leg.