Fig. 3: Textile thermoelectric (TE) generator based on carbon nanotube (CNT) threads sewn into fabric.
From: Macroscopic weavable fibers of carbon nanotubes with giant thermoelectric power factor
a Schematic and b photograph of the device. CNT threads (p-type thermoelectric generator) and steel threads (for electrical connection) were sewn into a fabric using a sewing machine. The CNT threads were connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel. A temperature difference ΔT was applied by heating one side (Thot) while keeping the other side (Tcold) at room temperature. c Electrical conductivity σ of one TEG unit as a function of bending radius, normalized by the conductivity without bending (σ0). The inset shows a schematic and a picture of the device during the measurement. d σ as a function of bending number, normalized by that of the original state (σ0). The bending radius was 0.8 mm. The inset shows a schematic of the measurement procedure. e The entire device was connected to an LED through an amplification circuit and a capacitor. The LED turned on with a ΔT of ~50 K. f Output voltage and power as a function of applied ΔT. The inset shows a folded device, demonstrating its flexibility.
