A thermoelectric power generation module includes two substrates, a thermoelectric conversion element, a sealing portion sealing peripheral edges of upper and lower surfaces, a first solder between the upper surface and the sealing portion, and a second solder between the lower surface and the sealing portion. At least one of outer and inner edges of the first solder or the sealing portion is deviated from the first solder or the sealing portion. At least one of outer and inner edges of the second solder or the sealing portion is deviated from the second solder or the sealing portion. At least one of the outer and inner edges of the first solder has a fillet shape between the upper surface and the sealing portion. At least one of the outer and inner edges of the second solder has a fillet shape between the lower surface and the sealing portion.

The present disclosure is related to structures for and methods for producing thermoelectric devices. The thermoelectric devices include multiple stages of thermoelements. Each stage includes alternating n-type and p-type thermoelements. The stages are sandwiched between upper and lower sets of metal links fabricated on a pair of substrate layers. The metal links electrically connect pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements from each stage. There may be additional sets of metal links between the multiple stages. The individual thermoelements may be sized to handle differing amounts of electric current to optimize performance based on their location within the multistage device.

Provided are an electrode material for thermoelectric conversion modules capable of preventing cracking and peeling of electrodes that may occur at the bonding parts of a thermoelectric element and an electrode under high-temperature conditions to thereby maintain a low resistance at the bonding parts, and a thermoelectric conversion module using the material. The electrode material for thermoelectric conversion modules includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a thermoelectric element formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an electrode formed on at least one substrate of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the substrate is a plastic film, the thermoelectric element contains a bismuth-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, a telluride-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, an antimony-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, or a bismuth-selenide-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, the electrode that is in contact with the thermoelectric element is formed of a metal material, and the metal material is gold, nickel, aluminum, rhodium, platinum, chromium, palladium, stainless steel, molybdenum or an alloy containing any of these metals.

A thermoelectric module includes a thermoelectric element disposed between a pair of electrodes, and an anchor layer disposed between the electrode and the thermoelectric element and connected with the thermoelectric element.

An insulated heat transfer substrate includes a heat transfer layer formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, a conductive layer provided on one surface side of the heat transfer layer, and a glass layer formed between the conductive layer and the heat transfer layer, in which the conductive layer is formed of a sintered body of silver, and a thickness of the glass layer is in a range of 5 μm or larger and 50 μm or smaller.

A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body including a main phase including a plurality of crystal grains including Ce, Mn, Fe, and Sb and forming a skutterudite structure, and a grain boundary between crystal grains adjacent to each other. The grain boundary includes a sintering aid phase including at least Mn, Sb, and O. Thus, with respect to a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material including Sb, which is a sintering-resistant material, it is possible to improve sinterability while maintaining a practical dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT, and to reduce processing cost.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bulk type thermoelectric element implemented so as to simplify the manufacturing process as well as to reduce the manufacturing cost. The method of manufacturing a bulk type thermoelectric element includes the steps of: preparing two types of P-type and N-type substrates by slicing a thermoelectric element material; bonding P-type pellets formed on the P-type substrate and N-type pellets formed on the N-type substrate to each other to alternately engaging with each other, and then polishing (grinding) the bottom of each substrate to form a P/N layer in which the P-type pellets and the N-type pellets are cross-formed; and assembling ceramic substrates with conductive electrode pads (PAD) on the top and the bottom of the P/N layer to complete a thermoelectric element.

A thermoelectric power generation module includes two substrates, a thermoelectric conversion element, a sealing portion sealing peripheral edges of upper and lower surfaces, a first solder between the upper surface and the sealing portion, and a second solder between the lower surface and the sealing portion. At least one of outer and inner edges of the first solder or the sealing portion is deviated from the first solder or the sealing portion. At least one of outer and inner edges of the second solder or the sealing portion is deviated from the second solder or the sealing portion. At least one of the outer and inner edges of the first solder has a fillet shape between the upper surface and the sealing portion. At least one of the outer and inner edges of the second solder has a fillet shape between the lower surface and the sealing portion.

A method and/or apparatus of energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device is disclosed. A lower conduction layer is formed on top of a lower dielectric layer. An active layer, comprising at least one thin film thermoelectric conduit and a thermal insulator, is formed above the lower conduction layer. An internal dielectric layer is formed above the active layer, and contact holes are drilled above each thermoelectric conduit. An upper conduction layer and upper dielectric layer are formed, connecting the thermoelectric conduits in series. The resulting flexible thermoelectric device generates a voltage when exposed to a temperature gradient.

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.