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US 2008/0156364 A1Published application
Thin film with oriented cracks on a flexible substrate
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsBao Feng, Andrew McGilvray, Bo Shi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermoelectric film is disclosed. The thermoelectric film includes a substrate that is substantially electrically non-conductive and flexible and a thermoelectric material that is deposited on at least one surface of the substrate. The thermoelectric film also includes multiple cracks oriented in a predetermined direction.
Claims20
A thermoelectric film comprising;
- a substrate that is substantially electrically non-conductive and flexible;
- and
- a thermoelectric material deposited on at least one surface of the substrate, the thermoelectric material including multiple cracks oriented in a predetermined direction.
A method of making a thermoelectric film comprising:
- depositing a first layer of a thermoelectric material on a flexible substrate;
- and
- bending the flexible substrate around a first axis to induce multiple cracks in the first layer of the thermoelectric material, wherein the multiple cracks are oriented in the direction of the first axis.
A thermoelectric element comprising;
- a support structure with a curved external surface;
- and
- a thermoelectric film covering the external surface of the support structure, wherein the thermoelectric film includes a flexible substrate and a thermoelectric material deposited on at least one surface of the flexible substrate, the thermoelectric material including multiple cracks oriented substantially parallel to a direction of an electric current flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.