Synthesis of thermoelectric magnesium-silicide pastes for 3D printing, electrospinning and low-pressure spray.

In this work, eco-friendly magnesium-silicide (MgSi) semiconducting (-type) thermoelectric pastes for building components concerning energy-harvesting devices through 3D printing, spray and electrospinning were synthetized and tested for the first time. The MgSi fine powders were obtained through the combination of ball milling and thermal annealing under Ar atmosphere. While the latter process was crucial for obtaining the desired MgSi phase, the ball milling was indispensable for homogenizing and reducing the grain size of the powders.