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Hong et al. Soft Sci 2023;3:29 Soft Science
DOI: 10.20517/ss.2023.20

Review Article Open Access

Advances in printing techniques for thermoelectric

materials and devices

2
2
1,2
1,2
2,3
Min Hong 1,* , Shuai Sun , Wanyu Lyu , Meng Li , Weidi Liu , Xiao-Lei Shi , Zhi-Gang Chen 2,*
1
Centre for Future Materials and School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Central, Queensland
4300, Australia.
2
School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
3
Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072,
Australia.
* Correspondence to: Prof. Min Hong, Centre for Future Materials and School of Engineering, University of Southern
Queensland, 37 Sinnathamby Blvd, Springfield Central, Queensland 4300, Australia. E-mail: min.hong@usq.edu.au; Prof. Zhi-
Gang Chen, School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane, Queensland 4000,
Australia. E-mail: zhigang.chen@qut.edu.au
How to cite this article: Hong M, Sun S, Lyu W, Li M, Liu W, Shi XL, Chen ZG. Advances in printing techniques for thermoelectric
materials and devices. Soft Sci 2023;3:29. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/ss.2023.20
Received: 28 Apr 2023 First Decision: 29 May 2023 Revised: 12 Jun 2023 Accepted: 27 Jun 2023 Published: 3 Aug 2023
Academic Editor: Zhifeng Ren Copy Editor: Dong-Li Li Production Editor: Dong-Li Li

Abstract
Thermoelectric materials and devices have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their potential for
converting waste heat into usable electricity, opening new avenues for sustainable energy harvesting. As research
in the field of thermoelectric materials and devices continues to grow, so does the need for efficient and scalable
fabrication methods. Among various fabrication techniques, printing methods have emerged as promising
approaches to producing thermoelectric materials and devices, offering advantages such as low cost, high
throughput, and design flexibility. Here, we overview the recent advances in printing methods for the fabrication of
thermoelectric materials and devices. We discuss the key principles, challenges, and opportunities associated with
various printing techniques, including screen printing, inkjet printing, and 3D printing, with a focus on their
applications in thermoelectric materials and devices. Furthermore, we highlight the progress made in optimizing
the printing parameters, ink formulations, and post-processing methods to enhance the thermoelectric
performance of printed materials and devices. Finally, we provide insights into the prospects and potential research
directions in the field of printing methods for thermoelectric materials and devices. This review aims to provide a
comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art printing techniques for thermoelectric materials and devices and to
serve as a reference for researchers and practitioners working in this rapidly growing field.
Keywords: Flexible thermoelectric generators, large-scale fabrication, printing technology, transport of charge
carriers, phonon scatterings

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

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