Advanced Glass Fiber Polymer Composite Laminate Operating as a Thermoelectric Generator: A Structural Device for Micropower Generation and Potential Large-Scale Thermal Energy Harvesting

This study demonstrates for the first time a structural glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite laminate with efficient thermal energy harvesting properties as a thermoelectric generator (TEG). This TEG laminate was fabricated by stacking unidirectional glass fiber (GF) laminae coated with p- and n-type single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) inks via a blade coating technique. According to their thermoelectric (TE) response, the p- and n-type GF-SWCNT fabrics exhibited Seebeck coefficients of +23 and −29 μV/K with 60 and 118 μW/m·K2 power factor values, respectively. The in-series p–n interconnection of the TE-enabled GF-SWCNT fabrics and their subsequent impregnation with epoxy resin effectively generated an electrical power output of 2.2 μW directly from a 16-ply GFRP TEG laminate exposed to a temperature difference (ΔT) of 100 K. Both experimental and modeling work validated the TE performance. The structural integrity of the multifunctional GFRP was tested by three-point bending coupled with online monitoring of the steady-state TE current (Isc) at a ΔΤ of 80 K. Isc was found to closely follow all transitions and discontinuities related to structural damage in the stress/strain curve, thus showing its potential to serve the functions of power generation and damage monitoring.