Marine Biodegradable Polymer-Derived Graphitic Carbon via Laser Direct Writing for Thermoelectric Power Generation

Thermoelectric power generation is a renewable energy technology that converts thermal energy into electrical energy by using temperature gradients. The fabrication of thermoelectric generators requires thermoelectric materials with different Seebeck coefficients to be arranged according to the temperature gradient and desired device geometry. In this study, we demonstrated thermoelectric power generation using a conductive graphitic carbon structure fabricated via the laser-induced graphitization of a marine biodegradable polymer. For the first time, laser-induced graphitization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate), a marine biodegradable polymer, was achieved. Furthermore, we successfully fabricated spatially selective structures with different Seebeck coefficients, an essential requirement for thermoelectric generator construction by solely controlling the laser irradiation parameters. The fabricated structures generated thermoelectric power not only from temperature differences in the atmosphere but also from thermal gradients between water and air, demonstrating their potential applicability in both terrestrial and marine environments. The proposed method offers a sustainable approach to the fabrication of thermoelectric generators.