Thermoelectric energy scavenging with temperature gradient amplification

In this paper, we demonstrate the application of fluorocarbon evaporative cooling in thermoelectric energy scavenging. The fabrication and performance characterization of a prototype micro-device is presented. The device consists of a thermoelectric generator mounted on a silicon substrate and encapsulated in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) chamber with a flexible cover. By filling the chamber with a fluorocarbon liquid of low boiling point (34°C), we were able to increase the body heat contact harvested energy by 226% compared to a device encapsulated in air. The availability of a variety of fluorocarbon liquids with different boiling points allows this harvesting amplification scheme to be used in a wide range of applications.