ABSTRACT
The objective of this chapter is to introduce how to manufacture flexible thermoelectric materials. A bismuth telluride-filled silicone rubber composite was extruded into millimeter-sized wires using electrospinning. The composite wires were tested in view of the electrical resistance and the Seebeck coefficient. The highest electrical resistance measured is 2.9 × 1010 ohms. The composite material exhibited a high Seebeck effect because silicone rubber exhibits low thermal conductivity as a result of increased phonon scattering. Moreover, compared with the bulk reference material, the thermoelectric property of bismuth telluride is notably enhanced. Due to the inherent flexibility of silicone rubber and the thermoelectric property of bismuth telluride, it is possible to make a flexible thermoelectric material for alternative energy applications.
