Thermoelectric transport in bulk Ni fabricated via particle-based ink extrusion additive manufacturing

Bulk Ni samples were additively manufactured using particle-based ink extrusion. Three samples were characterized for thermoelectric transport properties including electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermoelectric figure of merit. Sample-to-sample deviations in transport were small but observable; these were attributed to stochastic porosity from the manufacturing method. Transport results were compared to previously published results in both porous and dense Ni, indicating that the salient features in the traditionally manufactured Ni samples are maintained in their additively manufactured counterparts. These results are offered as evidence of the feasibility of using particle-based ink extrusion additive manufacturing for thermoelectric applications.