Abstract Scope |
Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, has become increasingly attractive in recent years due to some unique advantages, such as complex shape design, mold-free fabrication, high materials usage rate, etc. In the field of thermoelectric research and development, AM technologies have gradually been involved in the manufacturing and application of thermoelectric materials and devices. Due to the flexible manufacturing capability and unique personal customization ability, AM technologies can significantly promote the application of thermoelectric materials and reduce costs. Based on our previous work of metal 3D printing, we designed and fabricated an ink extrusion printing (IEP) apparatus for additive manufacturing of thermoelectric materials. In particular, we designed and tested printing inks for bismuth telluride thermoelectric material. In this presentation, we will discuss the construction of the IEP 3D printer and demonstrate its capability to fabricate thermoelectric materials. |