Silicone Elastomer: Encapsulating Materials for Flexible Thermoelectric Generator

The flexibility of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is an encouraging factor to apprehend self-powered wearable applications as we move on in the demand of energy harvesting and compactness of electronic devices. Conventional rigid thermoelectric (TE) modules are not capable to cover irregular surfaces of the human body, including unfavorable parameters such as bulkiness, heaviness, and fragile, and are expensive. In this study, we propose silicone elastomer as an obedient filling material for flexible TEGs matrix with conductive fabric as electrodes interconnect bismuth-telluride-based thermoelectric legs that permit TEGs to adapt the curved surfaces. This article presents the use of texture profile analysis (TPA) to mechanically characterize the hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, resilience, cohesion ratio, and chewiness of silicone elastomer. The ability to resist environmental effects, such as water, moisture, heat, acid, alkali, corrosion, and weather aging, is important for considering the filling material. In addition to these, the statistically decreased adhesiveness and increased hardness, springiness, and chewiness identify silicone elastomer as a filling material for wearable thermoelectric devices. An output voltage of TEG for a temperature gradient of $\sim $ 2 °C shows it is highly sensitive to human body temperature.