ABSTRACT
In this study, a thermoelectric module substrate was fabricated by subjecting an aluminum plate to a surface treatment process. To achieve this, the aluminum-based substrate was carried out to electrolytic etching, anodization, and Ni plating. The anodization of aluminum created an oxide film, which served as an insulation layer, while the Ni plating formed a conductive circuit layer. The substrate fabricated in this study exhibited excellent insulation performance, demonstrating its potential for future use in thermoelectric module substrates. Its adhesion properties were verified using a cross-cut adhesion test; microstructures of the surface and cross-section revealed the successful formation of the oxide film and Ni circuit layers on the aluminum base. From the results of these, it is clearly confirmed that the anodized aluminum substrate developed in this study provides suitable insulating performances and bonding nature with Ni electrode.
ABSTRACT
In this study, electrolytic etching, anodic oxidation, and copper electroplating were applied to aluminum to produce a plate on which a copper circuit for a thermoelectric module was formed. An oxide film insulating layer was formed on the aluminum through anodic oxidation, and platinum was coated by sputtering to produce conductivity. Finally, copper electroplating was performed directly on the substrate. In this structure, the copper plating layer on the insulating layer served as a conductive layer in the circuit. The adhesion of the copper plating layer was improved by electrolytic etching. As a result, the thermoelectric module fabricated in this study showed excellent adhesion and good insulation characteristics. It is expected that our findings can contribute to the manufacture of plates applicable to thermoelectric modules with high dissipation performance.
