Mechanical properties of thermoelectric generators

To satisfy the requirements of practical applications,thermoelectric generators should be highly efficient and mechanically robust.Recently,progress in designing high-performance thermoelectric generators has been made.However,the mechanical properties of thermoelectric generators are still unsatisfactory.In this review,studies on the mechanical properties of thermoelectric generators are summarized.The me-chanical properties of bulk thermoelectric generators will be first discussed.In this section,the mechan-ical properties of thermoelectric materials and the strategies for improving their mechanical properties are emphasized.Since the device’s failure usually occurs at the interface between the thermoelectric ma-terials and electrode,the joint strength of electrodes and thermoelectric materials will be overviewed.After that,the mechanical properties of the inorganic thin-film thermoelectric devices will be discussed.Since the figure of merit for the flexibility of thermoelectric materials depends on the film thickness,elastic modulus,and yield strength,the synthesis methods of thin-film thermoelectric materials will be reviewed.Finally,this review will be concluded with a discussion on flexible organic thermoelectric de-vices and flexible devices using bulk legs.