The present disclosure relates to functionally graded thermoelectric materials including an organic conducting polymer. In particular, the material includes a molecular dopant that can be spatially distributed in a controlled pattern within the material. Methods of making such materials and devices including such materials are also described herein.

Described herein is a method for making a thermoelectric device, the method comprising: providing a sheet of alternating rows of parallel columns of p- or n-type thermoelectric materials; and electrically communicating the parallel columns such that the rows can be connected in series. Also described is where the columns within each row can also be electrically connected in parallel. Also described herein are thermoelectric devices made according to these methods and/or thermoelectric devices having a similar structure.

An electrical generation system in an aircraft seat includes thermoelectric generators in elastomeric lattices to maintain the hot side of the thermoelectric generators proximal to the body of the passenger and the cold side of the thermoelectric generators in ambient air, away from the insulating properties of the aircraft seat. Elastomeric lattices and thermoelectric generators may be disposed in both the seat cushion and seat back. A power regulator and storage device store the electrical power from the thermoelectric generators and discharges as necessary over time.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes: a thermoelectric conversion layer containing a thiophene polymer, in which a peak intensity of a diffraction angle (2θ) of 7.9° is 5 times or more a peak intensity of a diffraction angle (2θ) of 25.8° in an X-ray diffraction spectrum of the thermoelectric conversion layer.

A thermoelectric element of the present invention comprises a first metal substrate, a first resin layer, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs, a plurality of second electrodes, a second resin layer, and a second metal substrate, wherein the first metal substrate is a low-temperature portion, the second metal substrate is a high-temperature portion, the second resin layer comprises a first layer and a second layer arranged on the first layer, the first and second layers include a silicon (Si)-based resin, and the bonding strength of the first resin layer is higher than the bonding strength of the second resin layer.

A thermoelectric element of the present invention comprises a first metal substrate, a first resin layer, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs, a plurality of second electrodes, a second resin layer, and a second metal substrate, wherein the first metal substrate is a low-temperature portion, the second metal substrate is a high-temperature portion, the second resin layer comprises a first layer and a second layer arranged on the first layer, the first and second layers include a silicon (Si)-based resin, and the bonding strength of the first resin layer is higher than the bonding strength of the second resin layer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stable thermoelectric battery. The object can be solved by a thermoelectric battery comprising a working electrode containing a n-type silicon and germanium, a counter electrode, and a solid electrolyte having a polymer having a specific repeating unit with a molecular weight of 200 to 1,000,000, or a derivative thereof, wherein the solid electrolyte contains copper ions or iron ions as an ion source.

A thermoelectric material includes a lower part from a bottom surface of the thermoelectric material to a point of 30% of an average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 40 at% or more in the thermoelectric material, and an upper part corresponding to a remaining 70% of the average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 20 at% or less in the thermoelectric material.

A thermoelectric material includes a lower part from a bottom surface of the thermoelectric material to a point of 30% of an average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 40 at % or more in the thermoelectric material, and an upper part corresponding to a remaining 70% of the average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 20 at % or less in the thermoelectric material.

The invention relates to an electric power generator (EPG) comprising at least a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12), wherein the electric power generator comprises an active material between said electrodes (11,12), said active material comprising at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2, Bi.sub.2O.sub.3, FeO.sub.3O.sub.4, AI.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, B.sub.eO, CaO, Ga.sub.2O.sub.3, In.sub.2O.sub.3, GeO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2 and PbO.sub.2, wherein the particle size of the oxygen-containing compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm at and wherein a thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, methyl cellulose, and arabic gum is absent