Innovative semitransparent photo-thermoelectric cells based on bismuth antimony telluride alloy

This research compromises of an innovative investigation based on semitransparent vertical cylinder-shaped thermoelectric cells (TEC’s). The temperature gradient was generated by light illumination. Cells with antimony doped bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) were fabricated and its electric parameters were measured with different modifications to obtain the optimum design for maximum power efficiency. The thermoelectric material was filled in the semi-transparent plastic cylindrical tube with external and internal diameters and length of 6 mm, 5 mm and 20 mm. The open circuit voltage (VOC) and short circuit current (ISC) dependences with respect to averaged temperature and gradient of temperature were measured. These variations of temperature were controlled by varying the intensity of light. The fabricated semitransparent thermoelectric cells have 25% transparency. The investigation of thermoelectric properties of p-Bi2Te3 showed that increasing the average temperature from 34 to 60 °C, the increment in the current and voltage of the thermoelectric cells is 4.45 and 3.3 times. However, after modifications increased the current 10.1 and 8.9 times in case of water reservoir as a coolant, 16.5 and 14 times with large metallic top electrode, 19.3 and 19.5 times when all modifications added together, respectively. Overall optimum results were obtained with the least number of glasses, maximum load pressure, larger metallic electrode receiver, water reservoir as a coolant to get most temperature gradient. Potentially the semitransparent thermoelectric cells can be built and used to fabricate special windows which produce, electric power, allow to illuminate inside house directly by solar light without conversion to the energy and to heat water. •Researched the semitransparent photo-thermo-electric cell’s effect of p-type bismuth telluride alloy.•After optimization of TE cells its open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current was measured.•Semitransparent TEC’s produce electric power as well as allow light to illuminate through cell and heat water.