Flexible Ag₂Se Film with Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance

Flexible thermoelectric devices offer huge potential for wearable electronics due to their ability to generate green energy by using low-grade heat. However, achieving both high thermoelectric performance and flexibility simultaneously remains a challenge for these devices. Here, we present a simple and cost-effective method for fabricating a high-performance flexible inorganic-organic thermoelectric film by depositing Ag₂Se on a porous nylon membrane. The resulting Ag₂Se/nylon film exhibits an ultrahigh power factor of approximately 3.4 mW/mK² at 300 K, the highest value reported for flexible thermoelectric films to date. The Ag₂Se/nylon film also demonstrates remarkable flexibility, confirming its potential application in wearable electronics. A thermoelectric module constructed using eight strips of the processed Ag₂Se/nylon film generates an impressive output voltage of 65 mV and an output power of 30 μW at a 30 K temperature difference. Additionally, the fabricated module maintains strong flexibility, producing more than 2 mV when wrapped around a human arm with a temperature difference of 1.6 K. This work highlights the significant potential of inorganic-organic films for flexible thermoelectric applications in wearable and implantable devices.