EA041601B1 - ACTIVE MATERIAL AND ELECTRIC ENERGY GENERATOR INCLUDING IT - Google Patents

Description

The field of technology to which the invention belongs

The present invention relates to an active material used for the manufacture of an electrical generator, as well as to a method for obtaining such a medium. As a consequence, the present invention also relates to an electrical generator comprising said active material.

State of the art

The use of thermoelectric power generators and thermionic power generators for converting thermal energy directly into electrical energy is widely known.

Thermoelectric power generators are devices based on the thermoelectric effect, namely the Seebeck effect, which includes the interaction of heat and electricity flow between solids. Examples of such devices are disclosed in patent EP 2521192 and patent application EP 2277209. In a broad sense, thermoelectric power generators consist of three main components: thermoelectric material, thermoelectric modules and a thermoelectric system that provides interface with a heat source.

Thermoelectric materials generate power directly from heat by converting temperature differences into electrical voltage. In particular, these materials typically have both high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. The low thermal conductivity ensures that when one side gets hot, the other side stays cold. This helps to generate a high voltage in the presence of a temperature gradient.

A thermoelectric module is a circuit including thermoelectric materials that generate electricity directly from heat. The module consists of two dissimilar thermoelectric materials connected at the ends, namely a negatively charged semiconductor and a positively charged semiconductor. A constant electric current will flow in the circuit if there is a temperature gradient between these two materials. Such a gradient is provided by a thermoelectric system which typically includes heat exchangers used on both sides of the module to supply respectively heating and cooling.

Thermionic power generators, also called thermionic power converters, convert heat directly into electricity. Thermionic energy generator usually contains two electrodes placed in a protective sheath. One of them is heated to a high temperature, sufficient to become a thermionic electron emitter or hot plate. The other electrode is called the collector because it receives the emitted electrons. The collector operates at a much lower temperature. The space between the electrodes may be a vacuum, or alternatively it may be filled with gaseous vapors at low pressure. Thermal energy can be supplied by chemical, solar or nuclear sources.

Thermoelectric power generators, as well as thermionic power generators, have many disadvantages, including low conversion efficiency and the need to provide a temperature gradient. In addition to this, such generators require a relatively constant source of heat.

In view of the foregoing, the main object of the present invention is to provide an electric power generator capable of converting a portion of thermal energy into electrical energy, and making it possible to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

The essence of the invention

The present inventors have surprisingly found a new active material that can be applied to one of the electrodes and generate current when placed between at least two electrodes without initial charging and regardless of temperature.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention relates to an active material containing at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl ₂ , ZrO ₂ , SiO ₂ , Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ and TiO ₂ , at least one thickening additive selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic, and at least one plasticizing additive, wherein the particle size of at least one oxygen-based compound is characterized by an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 µm.

In the present invention, when using the term plasticizing additive, it is meant a substance capable of providing or increasing plasticity when added, such as silicone, siloxanes or carnauba wax, but naphthalene, PVDF, parylene, PTFE, FEP and PDMS can also be considered.

In the present invention, when referring to the particle size of at least one oxygen-based compound, it refers to the average diameter of said particle as measured by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), or dynamic light scattering (DLS).

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the active material contains MgO, ZnO and ZrO ₂ as oxygen-containing compounds; agar-agar, xanthan gum, methyl cellulose as thickening additives and silicone as a plasticizing additive.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for producing an active material, comprising the following steps:

a) preparing a solution of at least one oxygenate selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al2O ₃ and TiO2 using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol , glycerin, dimethyl sulfoxide and appropriate mixtures;

b) heating the solution obtained in step a) to a temperature in the range from 75 to 90°;

c) adding at least one thickening agent selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic, thus obtaining a homogeneous solution;

d) cooling the homogeneous solution obtained in step c) to a temperature in the range of 30 to 15° C., allowing a gel to form, thereby obtaining a gel-like material;

e) adding at least one plasticizer to the gelled material, thereby obtaining an active material, wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 µm.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an alternative method for producing an active material, comprising the following steps:

i) preparing a first solution of at least one oxygenate selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2 using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and related mixtures;

ii) heating the first solution obtained in step i) to a temperature in the range from 90 to 110°C;

iii) cooling the homogeneous solution obtained in step ii) to a temperature in the range from 50 to 30°C;

iv) preparing a second solution of at least one thickening agent selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and appropriate mixtures ;

v) heating the second solution obtained in step iv) to a temperature in the range of 90 to 120°C;

vi) mixing the first solution with the solution obtained in step v) at 45°C;

vii) cooling the homogeneous solution obtained in step vi) to a temperature in the range of 30 to 20°C and subjecting it to cooling cycles from ambient temperature to -18°C;

viii) adding at least one plasticizer to the solution from step vii), thus obtaining a homogeneous material solution;

ix) optionally removing the solvent and obtaining the desired active material, wherein the particle size of at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 μm. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrical power generator (EPG) comprising at least two electrodes placed at a suitable distance from each other and preferably made of different materials. Said EPG generator includes an active material according to the invention between said at least two electrodes. The electrodes are made from metals, alloys and/or carbon-based materials like graphite. The thickness of the electrodes is preferably 0.1 to 3000 µm, more preferably 50 to 1000 µm, even more preferably 300 to 600 µm. In a preferred embodiment of the EPG generator according to the invention, said at least two electrodes are made of Cu and Al, preferably in the form of plates or foils substantially parallel to each other. In the case of a flexible EPG generator, both self-supporting flexible materials (from the above materials) and metallized polymers can be considered as electrodes.

The present invention also relates to a power generator module (PGM) including a plurality of EPGs that can be connected in series or in parallel without including EPG characteristics (voltage and current).

Description of figures

Additional features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in light of the detailed description of the active material and preferred embodiments of the electrical power generator with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a sandwich structure of an electric power generator incorporating the active material of the present invention;

in fig. 2 shows an example of an electrical circuit including an electrical power generator of the present invention;

- 2 041601 in Fig. 3 shows the result curve of the tests performed in Example 4;

in fig. 4 shows a curve showing the results of the test performed in Example 4;

in fig. 5 is a curve showing the result of the tests performed in Example 5;

in fig. 6 is a graph showing the results of the test performed in Example 5;

in fig. 7 shows the current versus temperature curve in the test performed in Example 5.

in fig. 8 is a graph showing the results of the test performed in Example 6;

in fig. 9 is a graph showing the results of the test performed in Example 7;

in fig. 10 shows a curve showing the results of the test performed in Example 8;

in fig. 11 shows the curves of the results of the test performed in example 9;

in fig. 12A and 12B show the circuit including the inventive PGM module of Example 15 during the charge phase (FIG. 12A) and the discharge phase (FIG. 12B), respectively;

in fig. 13 shows the NRC voltage values for the capacitor immediately at the beginning of the trip condition in example 16.

The same numbers in the figures correspond to the same elements or components.

Detailed description of the invention

Thus, the present invention relates to an active material containing at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl ₂ , ZrO ₂ , SiO ₂ , Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ and TiO ₂ ; at least one thickening additive selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic, and at least one plasticizing additive, wherein the particle size of said at least one oxygen-based compound is characterized by an average diameter of range from 10 nm to 40 µm. The active material of the invention contains at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2, and having a particle size corresponding to an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 µm .

The particle size of the oxygen-based compounds has an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 µm, preferably in the range of 15 nm to 10 µm, more preferably 20 nm to 5 µm. More preferably, the particle size of the oxygen-based compounds has an average diameter in the range of 10-200 nm, even more preferably in the range of 15-100 nm, even more preferably 20-40 nm.

The active material preferably contains magnesium oxide as an oxygen-containing compound, more preferably in a mass fraction in the range of 3 to 17%, preferably 10%, relative to the total mass of the active material.

The active material preferably contains MgO together with ZnO and ZrO2 as oxygenates, more preferably each of them is contained in a mass fraction of 0.7 to 10%, even more preferably 3.7%, based on the total mass of the active material.

The active material contains at least one thickening agent selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic. Preferably the active material contains agar-agar, xanthan gum and/or methylcellulose as thickeners, more preferably each of them in a mass fraction in the range from 0.19 to 6.5%, even more preferably 0.84%, in relation to the total weight of the active material.

The active material also contains at least one plasticizer. The at least one plasticizer is preferably selected from the group consisting of silicone, siloxanes, carnauba wax, naphthalene, PVDF, parylene, PTFE, FEP and PDMS.

Without being bound by any theory, the authors of the present invention reasonably believe that the combined use of these materials, i. at least one plasticizer, in combination with the oxygenates of the invention, could enhance the performance of the materials and hence the electrical power generator comprising them, thus improving the results achieved in particular modes.

More preferably, at least one plasticizer is silicone, even more preferably in an amount in the range of 5 to 40%, preferably 12.5 to 37.5%, even more preferably 33.3% by weight, based on the total weight of the gelled material. . The active material also contains at least one plasticizer in a ratio range of 1:4 to 3:2, even more preferably in a ratio of 1:3, based on the weight of the gelled material.

The active material may contain additional compounds, preferably anthracene, PZT materials and Si ₃ N ₄ .

The active material may be anhydrous or may contain a certain amount of water resulting from the implementation of the method of obtaining. In a preferred embodiment of the process, excess water is removed to ensure that it is present in the form of absorbed coordination water in an amount of at least 1%, based on the total weight of the final active material.

The authors of the present invention believe that such a proportion of coordination water in the final active material can improve the performance of finished devices obtained by including such an active material in their composition. The active material may also contain further additives.

These additives may be water coordinating additives, casein may be mentioned.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the active material contains MgO, ZnO, ZrO2 as oxygen compounds; agar-agar, xanthan gum, methyl cellulose as thickening additives and silicone as a plasticizing additive, wherein the particle size of said at least one oxygen compound is characterized by an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for producing an active material, comprising the following steps:

a) prepare a solution of at least one oxygenate selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al2O ₃ and TiO2 using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol , glycerin, dimethyl sulfoxide and appropriate mixtures;

b) the solution obtained in step a) is heated to a temperature in the range from 75 to 90°C;

c) adding at least one thickening agent selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic, thereby obtaining a homogeneous solution;

d) cooling the homogeneous solution obtained in step c) to a temperature in the range of 30 to 15° C., thus obtaining a gel-like material;

e) at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of silicone is added, thereby obtaining an active material, wherein the particle size of said at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 µm.

Step a) of the method of the present invention provides for preparing a solution of at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ and TiO ₂ using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and appropriate mixtures, preferably water, preferably with stirring during the addition of the components. More preferably, the addition of the components with stirring is carried out sequentially.

In step b) the solution obtained in step a) is heated in the temperature range from 75 to 90°C. After heating in step c), at least one thickener selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic is added. You can also enter additional additives, such as casein. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, step c) provides for the addition of agar-agar, xanthan gum and methylcellulose, preferably simultaneously. After adding at least one thickening agent, a homogeneous solution is obtained, preferably with stirring.

In step d) the homogeneous solution obtained in step c) is cooled to a temperature in the range of 30 to 15° C., thus obtaining a gel-like material.

In step e), at least one plasticizing agent, such as silicone, siloxanes or carnauba wax, is added to the gelled material, preferably with stirring.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to an alternative method for obtaining an active material, comprising the following steps:

i) preparing a first solution of at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl ₂ , ZrO ₂ , SiO ₂ , Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al ₂ O ₃ and TiO ₂ , using a solvent selected from a group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and appropriate mixtures;

ii) the first solution obtained in step i) is heated to a temperature in the range from 90 to 110°C;

iii) the homogeneous solution obtained in step ii) is cooled to a temperature in the range from 50 to 30°C;

iv) preparing a second solution of at least one thickening agent selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic using a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and appropriate mixtures ;

v) the second solution obtained in step iv) is heated at a temperature in the range from 90 to 120°C;

vi) mixing the first solution with the solution obtained in step v) at 45°C;

vii) cooling the homogeneous solution obtained in step vi) to a temperature in the range of 30 to 20°C and subjecting it to cooling cycles from ambient temperature to -18°C;

viii) adding at least one plasticizer to the solution from step vii) thus obtaining a homogeneous material solution;

ix) optionally removing the solvent and obtaining the desired active material, wherein the particle size of said at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 µm.

- 4 041601

Steps iv) and v) may optionally be repeated before mixing step (vi) to obtain a third or more solutions with an additional thickening agent selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic.

Optional additives such as casein can be added to any of the solutions mentioned in the method above.

The method of the present invention makes it possible to obtain an active material having a viscosity in the range of 5,000 to 100,000 cps, preferably 5,000 to 40,000 cps, more preferably 10,000 to 20,000 cps, measured using a Viscotester VTR5 rotational viscometer at 20 rpm and T=25 °C.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrical power generator (EPG) comprising at least two electrodes spaced at a suitable distance from each other. The EPG generator includes an active material according to the invention located between said at least two electrodes.

The active material and/or oxygen-based compounds can be placed on at least one electrode by any suitable application method known in the art, e.g., knife-edge, electrophoresis, spin coating, ink printing, sol-gel, thermal spraying, spraying, plasma and any physical or chemical vapor deposition methods.

The electrodes are made from metals, alloys and/or carbon-based materials like graphite. The thickness of the electrodes is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 3000 µm, more preferably 50 to 1000 µm, even more preferably 300 to 600 µm. In a preferred embodiment of the EPG generator of the present invention, at least two electrodes are made of Cu and Al, preferably in the form of substantially parallel plates or foils. In the case of a flexible EPG generator, both self-supporting flexible materials (from the above materials) and metallized polymers can be considered as electrodes.

In the preferred embodiment of the EPG 1, shown schematically in FIG. 1, at least two of the electrodes are in the form of plates. The two plates 10 are arranged substantially parallel to each other so that they define a gap filled with the active material 20 of the invention in accordance with the sandwich structure. The distance between the plates 10 depends directly on the desired thickness of the active material to be applied.

The shape of the electrodes is not limited. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the EPG generator could include two coaxial cylindrical electrodes that define an annulus filled with the active material of the invention. According to the invention, the EPG generator could include more than two electrodes, with two adjacent electrodes defining a gap filled with active material.

According to a preferred embodiment, the at least two electrodes are made of different materials, preferably Cu and Al. The at least two electrodes are preferably cleaned and etched before being used in the electrical power generator of the invention.

The active material is preferably deposited on the electrode by depositing the active material in a layer of 100 nm to 5 mm thick. So far, the best results using a 100 ohm load have been observed with a thickness of 2 mm. On the other hand, the optimum thickness varies depending on the energy required from the device.

The active material can be applied to the surface of the electrode using a blade device or the like. Immediately after the generator is completed with active material sandwiched between at least two electrodes, the EPG generator is preferably subjected to a heating operation, more preferably at a temperature of about 80°C, in order to obtain a solid sandwich structure.

An additional embodiment of the present invention relates to a power generator module (PGM) comprising a plurality of EPGs connected in series or in parallel. In this regard, in FIG. 1A shows a circuit including a PGM module in which two EPGs are connected in parallel, while FIG. 1B shows a circuit including a PGM module having two EPGs connected in series. Both circuits in Fig. 1A and 1B include a load resistance R _L . The voltage relative to the PGM can be monitored, for example, by connecting a galvanostat in parallel with the load resistance R _L .

As part of another additional embodiment of the invention, the authors of the present invention believe that the proposed active material can reasonably be included in the composition of a mixture of conventional active materials intended for the manufacture of conventionally used capacitors.

In view of the foregoing, another embodiment of the present invention relates to the use of the active material of the invention for the manufacture of capacitors.

In terms of the properties exhibited by the active material of the invention, yet another further embodiment of the present invention relates to the use of the active material as a dielectric material.

As will be seen from the following experimental part, the EPG generator according to the invention is able to generate current immediately after its assembly, thus representing a device different from the traditional capacitor. In addition, unexpectedly, the performance of the EPG generator of the invention is highly dependent on temperature, i. the potential difference increases with temperature. In particular, compared to conventional prior art power generators, the EPG generator of the invention does not require a temperature gradient. Indeed, the electrical energy generator according to the invention is capable of converting part of the thermal energy into electrical energy even under isothermal conditions. More specifically and preferably, the current supplied by the electrical power generator of the invention increased by a factor of 6-10 as the temperature increased from 20 to 80°C.

In addition, as will also be seen from the following experimental part below, the EPG generator is capable of feeding a capacitor included in a suitable electrical circuit. In particular, such a circuit includes an EPG generator according to the invention, a capacitor, a resistor, and a switch.

In the first state, the switch connects said capacitor in series with said EPG so as to charge the capacitor to an equilibrium voltage. When the switch is in its second state, it connects a capacitor in series with a resistor to discharge the capacitor. In the latter state, the EPG is electrically isolated. When the switch returns to the first state, the EPG is ready to charge the capacitor again for the next charge-discharge cycle.

Preferably, in the electrical circuit mentioned above, the EPG can be replaced by a PGM.

The present invention will be further illustrated by some non-limiting examples of the active material and the electric power generator of the invention.

Examples

Example 1 Preparation of the active material according to the invention.

In order to obtain the active material, the following components were used in the respective amounts indicated in the following table. 1. The particle size of the oxygen-based compounds (MgO, ZnO, ZrO ₂ ) has an average diameter in the range of 10 nm to 40 µm, preferably in the range of 1-10 µm, more preferably 2-5 µm, as suggested by SigmaAldrich. The production was carried out using all the above ranges of average particle diameter and in accordance with the same procedure.

Table 1

Components Quantity 1. Demineralized H ₂ O 60-90% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 2. MgO oxygenated compound 5-20% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 3. ZnO oxygenated compound 1-7% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 _4.ZrO2 oxygenated compound 0.1-5% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 5. Agar-agar thickening additive 0.1-3.5% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 6. Xanthan gum thickening additive 0.1-2% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 7. Methylcellulose thickening additive 0.1-2% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 8. Silicone Plasticizing additive 20-60% May. relative to the total weight of the gel-like material obtained after step d)

Demineralized water was poured into the beaker and stirring was set at a speed ranging from 200 to 400 rpm. The stirrer used was an AREX 630W from VELP SCIENTIFICA. MgO, ZnO and ZrO ₂ were sequentially added to the beaker with a waiting period of 5 min after addition of each component. Received the final homogeneous aqueous solution. Then the solution was heated to a temperature in the range from 80 to 90°C. At the same time, the following components were added: agar-agar, xanthan gum and methylcellulose, and mixing was continued by hand until a homogeneous solution was obtained. Then the latter was left to cool to ambient temperature at T in the range from 15 to 30°C with stirring by hand. Received gel-like material. The silicone was then added and the product was mixed by hand until a homogeneous active material was formed.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the present inventors believe that fluxing with various selected gaseous particles during the mixing procedure could improve the final performance of the thus obtained EPG generator in terms of NRC voltage in the series N ₂ > Air (wet )> Air (dry)> O ₂ (dry)> CO ₂ (dry).

Example 2 Preparation of the active material according to the invention.

In order to obtain the active material, the following components were used in the respective amounts indicated in the following table. 2. The particle size of oxygen-based compounds (MgO, ZnO, ZrO ₂ ) has an average diameter in the range of 10-200 nm, preferably in the range of 15-100 nm, more preferably 20-40 nm, as proposed by US Research Nanomaterials, Inc. The production was carried out using all the above ranges of average particle diameter and in accordance with the same procedure.

table 2

Components Quantity 1. Demineralized H ₂ O 60-90% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 2. MgO oxygenated compound 5-20% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 3. ZnO oxygenated compound 1-7% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 _4.ZrO2 oxygenated compound 0.1-5% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 5. Agar-agar thickening additive 0.1-3.5% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 6. Xanthan gum thickening additive 0.1-2% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 7. Methylcellulose thickening additive 0.1-2% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 8. Silicone Plasticizing additive 20-60% May. relative to the total weight of the gel-like material obtained after step d)

Demineralized water was poured into the beaker and stirring was set at a speed ranging from 200 to 400 rpm. The stirrer used was an AREX 630W from VELP SCIENTIFICA. MgO, ZnO and ZrO ₂ were sequentially added to the beaker with a waiting period of 5 min after addition of each component. Received the final homogeneous aqueous solution. Then the solution was heated to a temperature in the range from 80 to 90°C. At the same time, the following components were added: agar-agar, xanthan gum and methylcellulose, and mixing was continued by hand until a homogeneous solution was obtained. Then the latter was left to cool to ambient temperature at T in the range from 15 to 30°C with stirring by hand. Received gel-like material. The silicone was then added and the product was mixed by hand until a homogeneous active material was formed.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the present inventors believe that fluxing with various selected gaseous particles during the mixing procedure could improve the final performance of the thus obtained EPG in terms of NRC voltage in the series N ₂ >Air (wet)>Air ( dry)>0 ₂ (dry)>CO ₂ (dry).

Example 3 Preparation of the active material according to the invention and manufacture of an electric power generator (EPG).

In order to obtain the active material, the following components were used in the respective amounts indicated in the following table. 3.

The MgO powder has an average particle diameter of 10 nm to 40 µm, preferably in the range of 1-10 µm, more preferably 2-5 µm, as proposed by Sigma-Aldrich. The production was carried out using all the above ranges of average particle diameter and in accordance with the same procedure.

Table 3

Components Quantity 1. Demineralized H ₂ O 60-90% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 2. MgO oxygenated compound 3-20% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 3. Casein Additive for water coordination 0.1-20% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 4. Arabic gum thickening additive 0.1-5% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7

- 7 041601

5.Agar-agar thickening additive 0.1-8% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 6. Xanthan gum thickening additive 0.1-4% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 7. Methylcellulose thickening additive 0.1-4% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 8. Silicone Plasticizing additive 20-60% May. in relation to the total mass of the gel-like material

Further in this document, a detailed description of the procedure for performing operations, taking into account the intermediate amount of each chemical, is given in table. 3.

Solution 1 was prepared using the ingredients listed in the following table. 4.

Table 4 ____________Ingredients of solution 1____________

Chemical substance Quantity [g] MgO 150 Casein 150 Demineralized water 1500

MgO and casein listed in the table. 4 was mixed at ambient temperature until a homogeneous distribution of the two substances in the solid state was achieved. Thereafter, demineralized water was added and the solution was heated to 100° C. for a period of time varying from 20 to 40 minutes. During this procedure, the solution was stirred to ensure complete and proper homogenization. Upon reaching a temperature of 100°C, the solution was maintained at this temperature for 5-10 min. Then the solution was gradually cooled to 40°C.

Solution 2 was prepared using the ingredients listed in table. 5.

Table 5

Solution Ingredients 2

Chemical substance Quantity [g] gum arabic 50 Demineralized water 500

Solution 2 was heated to 120° C. until the arabic gum was completely dissolved. After that, the solution was cooled to 90°C to add agar-agar. Received solution 2b, the ingredients of which are given in table. 6.

Table 6

Solution Ingredients 2b

Chemical substance Quantity [g] gum arabic 50 Demineralized water 500 agar agar 100

Then solution 1 at 40°C was mixed with solution 2b at 90°C, thus obtaining solution 3 (whose ingredients are shown in Table 7).

Table 7 ____________Ingredients of solution 3_____________

Chemical substance Temperature [°C] Solution 1 40 Solution 2b 90

Solution 3 was stirred to mix the two solutions properly. The specified mixture was maintained at a temperature of 45°C in order to eliminate the phenomenon of gelation.

Methylcellulose and xanthan gum were added to solution 3, thus obtaining solution 4, the ingredients of which are given in table. 8a.

Table 8a

Solution Ingredients 4____________

Chemical substance Quantity [g] MgO 150 Casein 150 Demineralized water 2000 gum arabic 50 agar agar 100 Methylcellulose thirty xanthan gum 20

This solution 4 was stirred for a minimum of 15 minutes. Thereafter, solution 4 was cooled to ambient temperature over a minimum period of 4 hours, thus eliminating the effect of agitation of any kind.

Immediately upon reaching a temperature of 25°C solution 4 was subjected to cooling cycles ranging from ambient temperature to -18°C. Immediately upon reaching the indicated temperature, solution 4 was stabilized and maintained at 4°C. After that, solution 4 was weighed and added

- 8 041601 silicone in the amount of 50% by weight of the solution, and also carried out mixing by hand in order to achieve a uniform distribution of the plasticizer. Received solution 5, described in table. 8b.

Table 8b

Solution Ingredients 5

Chemical substance Quantity [g] MgO 150 Casein 150 Demineralized water 2000 gum arabic 50 agar agar 100 Methylcellulose thirty xanthan gum 20 Silicone 1250

Solution 5 was used directly for the manufacture of an electric power generator.

Two aluminum plates (10x10 cm) were immersed in a beaker containing solution 5 (Table 8b) at a distance of 1 cm between them. The plates were connected to a 150 W generator which supplied a voltage of 30 V. The applied potential difference was maintained until the current was below 30% of the original value (5 A ideally), after which the generator was switched off. This procedure made it possible to obtain a uniform and homogeneous layer of active material on an aluminum plate connected to the positive pole. Thereafter, said plate was cooled to -18°C for 1 hour and then maintained at 4°C for 1 hour.

In order to remove residual water, the plate was heated in an oven at 80°C. After this step, the EPG generator was assembled by adding a copper plate to an aluminum plate treated as described above. While maintaining the EPG generator at ambient temperature, a slight pressure was applied to it in order to promote adhesion between each of the plates and the active material.

The same fabrication procedure was performed using powders of oxide nanoparticles with an average diameter in the range of 10-200 nm, preferably in the range of 15-100 nm, more preferably 20-40 nm, as proposed by US Research Nanomaterials, Inc.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the present inventors believe that fluxing with various selected gaseous particles during the mixing procedure could improve the final performance of the thus obtained EPG generator in terms of NRC voltage in the series N ₂ >Air (wet)>Air ( dry)>O ₂ (dry)>CO ₂ (dry).

Example 4 Preparation of the active material of the invention and manufacture of an electric power generator (EPG).

In order to obtain a dry active material, the following components were used in the respective amounts indicated in the following table. 9.

The MgO powder has an average particle diameter of 10 nm to 40 µm, preferably in the range of 1-10 µm, more preferably 2-5 µm, as proposed by Sigma-Aldrich. The production was carried out using all the above ranges of average particle diameter and in accordance with the same procedure.

Table 9

Example 3 Ingredients

Components Quantity 1. Demineralized H ₂ O 60-90% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 2. MgO oxygenated compound 4-20% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 3. Casein Additive for water coordination 0.1-20% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 4. Gum arabic thickening additive 0.1-5% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 5. Agar-agar thickening additive 0.1-8% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 6. Xanthan gum thickening additive 0.1-4% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 7. Methylcellulose thickening additive 0.1-4% May. in relation to the total mass of components 1-7 8. Carnauba Wax Plasticizing additive 15-50% May. in relation to the total mass of the gel-like material

Further in this document, a detailed description of the procedure for performing operations is given, taking into account the intermediate amount of each chemical listed in the table.

Solution 1 was prepared using the ingredients listed in table. 10.

- 9 041601

Table 10

Solution Ingredients 1

Chemical substance Quantity [g] MgO 150 Casein 150 Demineralized water 1500

MgO and casein were mixed at ambient temperature until a homogeneous distribution of the two substances in the solid state. Then demineralized water was added and the solution was heated to 100° C. for a period of time varying from 20 to 40 minutes. During this procedure, the solution was stirred to ensure complete and proper homogenization. Upon reaching a temperature of 100°C, the solution was maintained at this temperature for 5-10 min. The solution was gradually cooled to 40°C.

Solution 2 was prepared using the ingredients listed in table. eleven.

Table 11

Solution Ingredients 2

Chemical substance Quantity [g] Arabic gum 50 Demineralized water 500

Solution 2 was heated to 120° C. until the arabic gum was completely dissolved. After that, the solution was cooled to 90° to add agar-agar. Thus received a solution of 2b, listed in the table. 12.

Table 12

Solution Ingredients 2b_____________

Chemical substance Quantity [g] gum arabic 50 Demineralized water 500 agar agar 100

Solution 1 at 40°C was mixed with solution 2b at 90°C, thus obtaining solution 3 (listed in Table 13).

Table 13

Solution Ingredients 3

Chemical substance Temperature [°C] Solution 1 40 Solution 2b 90

Solution 3 was stirred to mix the two solutions properly. The specified mixture was maintained at a temperature of 45°C in order to eliminate the phenomenon of gelation.

Then methyl cellulose and xanthan gum were added to solution 3, thus obtaining solution 4.

Table 14

Solution Ingredients 4

Chemical substance Quantity [g] MgO 150 Casein 150 Demineralized water 2000 gum arabic 50 agar agar 100 Methylcellulose thirty xanthan gum 20

Solution 4 (listed in Table 14) was stirred for a minimum of 15 minutes. Thereafter, solution 4 was cooled to ambient temperature over a minimum period of 4 hours, eliminating the effects of agitation of any kind.

Immediately upon reaching a temperature of 25°C solution 4 was subjected to cooling cycles ranging from ambient temperature to -18°C. Upon reaching the indicated temperature, solution 4 was stabilized and maintained at 4°C. After that, solution 4 was maintained at ambient temperature for 24 h.

To obtain solution 5 (Table 15), properly crushed carnauba wax was added to solution 4 at ambient temperature in an amount of 25 wt.% relative to the mass of solution 4.

- 10 041601

Table 15

Solution Ingredients 5

Chemical substance Quantity [g] MgO 150 Casein 150 Demineralized water 2000 gum arabic 50 agar agar 100 Methylcellulose thirty xanthan gum 20 carnauba wax 625

Solution 5 (table. 15) was heated to 78°C by stirring and using ultrasound. As soon as the solution became homogeneous, solution 6 was poured onto an aluminum plate, also heated at 78°C. After this step, the aluminum plate was immersed in a beaker containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to remove the remaining water.

Maintaining a constant temperature of 78°C, the EPG generator was assembled by bringing the copper plate into contact with the active material.

At this stage, a potential difference of 30 V was applied to the EPG generator for different periods of time depending on the temperature:

min at T=78°C;

min at T=7O°C;

min at T=6O°C;

min at T=5O°C;

min at T=4O°C;

min at T=30°C;

min at T=25°C;

min at T=-18°C.

The same fabrication procedure was performed using powders of oxide nanoparticles with an average diameter in the range of 10-200 nm, preferably in the range of 15-100 nm, more preferably 20-40 nm, as proposed by US Research Nanomaterials, Inc. The manufacture was carried out using all the above ranges of average particle diameter and in accordance with the same procedure.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the present inventors believe that fluxing with various selected gaseous particles during the mixing procedure could improve the final performance of the thus obtained EPG in terms of NRC voltage in the series N ₂ >Air (wet)>Air ( dry)>O ₂ (dry)>CO ₂ (dry).

Example 5. The layout of the generator of electrical energy with two electrodes.

Two square electrodes made of Cu and Al, respectively, and having the same area (about 25 cm ² ), were subjected to cleaning and etching in order to be used to obtain an electric power generator. Then, the active material obtained in Example 1 using oxide powders with an average particle diameter of 2-5 μm was deposited on the surface of the Cu electrode using a knife device. The thickness of the active material was about 2 mm, and an Al electrode was placed on top of the deposited active material, parallel to the Cu electrode. The two electrodes were lightly pressed against each other, ensuring uniform contact of the active material with their own surface. The product thus obtained was fired for 20 minutes at 80° C. to dry the active material, thereby obtaining a solid electric power generator. Then, the generator of the invention thus obtained was stored at a temperature of 15 to 18° C. for a period of 12-24 hours before being tested.

The roasting process was carried out to remove excess water, but at the same time ensure the presence of the species in the form of absorbed coordination water in an amount of at least 1% based on the total weight of the active material.

Example 6. Determination of the electrical characteristics of an electric power generator.

The electrical characteristics of the EPG generator of Example 5 were determined using an AMEL2553 potentiostat/galvanostat. The electrical circuit is shown in Fig. 2.

Based on FIG. 2 shows that the EPG is a generator supplying a current related to its own internal resistance (Ri). The latter is usually defined as the ratio between the open circuit potential difference and the short circuit current. A load resistance (R _L ) was connected in series with the electrical power generator of Example 5. The voltage was monitored by connecting a galvanostat in parallel with the load resistance. The source resistance (Ri) is highly dependent on the components of the active material. The internal resistance was measured according to the voltage divider procedure: various load resistances were applied to the EPG generator until, after a few minutes, half the load was reached.

- 11 041601 voltage value in relation to open circuit voltage. Thus, a voltage divider is created using two equal load resistances in series, namely the internal resistance (Ri) and the resistance (R _L ) of the load. Using this procedure, it was estimated that the internal resistance (Ri) was from 1 to 100 kΩ. The resistance Repg measured between the electrodes had an average value of 1.2-1.6 MΩ. As a result, it was found that the active material had a low conductivity. The electrical power generator was characterized by performing a potentiometric analysis at zero current (open circuit voltage). In contrast, when the circuit was closed, the current flowed through the resistance (R _L ) of the load. The current strength was determined based on the magnitude of the measured voltage divided by R _L =100 ohms.

Example 7. Determination of thermal characteristics of an electric power generator.

The circuit diagram shown in Fig. 2, including the electric power generator of example 5, was tested at ambient temperature (18-20°C). The test consisted of a 5 minute open circuit voltage measurement followed by a 2 hour closed circuit period.

The curves shown in Fig. 3 and 4. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that three different regions were observed:

1) the first area characteristic of the open circuit state; in such a region, the voltage was constant, and the average open circuit voltage (OCV), measured for all manufactured EPG generators, was 1.2-1.4 V before testing; current was not detected (open circuit);

2) a second region characteristic of the transition between an open circuit state and a closed circuit state; as soon as the circuit was closed, the voltage dropped sharply and constantly decreased in time until it reached the minimum value (transition region); in the transition region, the current increased to a maximum value (1-1.2 mA);

3) the third region, characteristic of the state of a closed circuit; in the third region, the current generated by the EPG increased with time, although the EPG was discharging, and stabilized at this value, i.e. I=0.5-1 mA.

Example 8. Determination of thermal characteristics of an electric power generator.

The circuit diagram shown in Fig. 2, including the electric power generator of example 5, was tested to determine the temperature dependence (20-90°C). The test consisted of heating the EPG generator with a heater or by immersing the electrical energy generator in a liquid while stirring. The temperature was monitored using a thermographic camera (FLIR Exx series) or a mercury glass thermometer in the case of a heating bath. In this example, a mercury glass thermometer was chosen. The electric power generator was heated to 90°C after leaving it under a load of 100 ohms for 1 hour at 20°C in order to stabilize the current. The curves shown in Fig. 5 and 6.

After 1 hour at 20°C under load, the EPG stabilized at about 0.57 mA; the current reached a value of about 3.5 mA at T=90°C.

The circuit diagram shown in Fig. 2, including the electrical power generator of Example 5, was tested under various temperature conditions. The temperature was continuously monitored and the current versus temperature curve shown in FIG. 7. More precisely, the curve in FIG. 7 reflects the current values measured under various temperature conditions for the circuit diagram of FIG. 2 in the closed state.

Example 9

The EPG electric power generator shown in Example 5 was assembled using electrodes made from the same material, namely Cu-Cu. An active medium was used, as in example 1, with a thickness of 2 mm. The electrode area was 9 ^cm2 .

In FIG. 8 shows the change in current as a function of temperature. It is worth noting that this test also showed an increase in the current generated by the EPG with increasing temperature. However, this increase is in the order of μA, not mA, as in example 8.

Example 10

The EPG generator presented in example 5 was configured using electrodes having a larger area (1.5; 6.25; 25 and 100 cm ² ). The generated current was proportional to the area of the electrode: the larger the area, the greater the current generated. In FIG. 9 shows a curve of the EPG generator performance depending on the area of the electrodes. Other parameters of the EPG generator (thickness, composition of the active medium, electrode material) remained unchanged, as in example 5.

Example 11.

The ability to work with alternate discharge was evaluated for an EPG generator having characteristic properties as in example 5, namely, thickness, active medium, composition, electrode material, electrode area, as in example 5. FIG. 10, continuous discharge (curve C1) is compared with intermittent discharge (curve 30-30). Both curves refer to the tested EPG. Alternate discharge includes 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest. In the period of 30 s of work, an external load resistance is applied and the circuit is closed. In a period of 30 seconds of rest, the circuit is opened and the load resistance is removed. In both cases (continuous and alternating discharge), a load resistance of 100

- 12 041601

Ohm. The evaluation was carried out by comparing both active operation time periods (on states) and effective time periods of each of the tests. The on state expression is intended to indicate the period of operation during which the load resistance is applied. In a particular case, this state occurred cyclically every 30 s. During the next 30 seconds, the load resistance was disconnected (off state) from the EPG generator using a relay. Alternate discharge was also evaluated for different on and off time periods in the range of 2-60 s.

In FIG. 10 shows that the performance (in terms of discharge current) was greatly improved by alternate discharging. During the rest phase, the EPG partially exhibits a recovery effect, namely a temporary voltage recovery (V) when no load resistance is applied to the EPG. It is worth noting that during the off state it is possible to apply voltage and/or current to the electrodes of the EPG so as to increase the voltage and hence the discharge current. This procedure can be used after virtually every test, or any time the EPG is disconnected from the load resistance.

Example 12.

The EPG is highly sensitive to operating conditions such as the environment. It turns out that the presence of water and oxygen reduces the life of the EPG generator. Preliminary tests were performed on EPG generators manufactured according to example 5 to evaluate the requirement for proper sealing to extend the life of the device. For this purpose, EPGs were tested using an AMEL2553 potentiostat/galvanostat. The test consisted of applying a discharge current of 100 µA; the EPGs were discharged from nominal voltage to 0.8 V followed by a 45 min rest period at I=0 µA to assess recovery. Two EPG generators were made in the same manner as in Example 5, except for the sealing step, with standard electrode sizes of 25 cm ² . In the first case, the EPG generator was not pressurized, allowing it to interact with the atmosphere; in the second case, the EPG generator was completely sealed by immersion in silicone.

In FIG. 11 shows curves of EPG performance depending on sealing. In the case of the tested EPG generators, a relative increase in service life of 400% is observed; for the sealed EPG generator, a higher NRC voltage was measured before the application of the discharge current.

It is important to note that these tests were carried out on a standard composition having a relatively high water content. It is assumed that the effect of sealing is stronger on the optimized composition containing a reduced amount of water. In addition to this, significant improvements in sealing quality are expected.

Example 13

The particle size of the oxygen-based compounds (MgO, ZnO, ZrO ₂ ) affects the overall performance of the EPG. Indeed, the smaller the particle size, the greater the active surface area for a given volume of material. The influence of particle size was investigated by comparing the performance of EPG generators in the case of micrometric and nanometric particles of compounds based on oxygen, obtained according to the composition shown in example 1 and example 2 and in accordance with the procedure of example 5; the area of the electrodes of the EPG generator is 25 cm ² . For this purpose, EPGs were tested using an AMEL2553 potentiostat/galvanostat. The test consisted of applying a discharge current of 100 µA; the EPGs were discharged from nominal voltage to 0.8 V followed by a 45 min rest period at I=0 µA to assess recovery.

The use of nanoparticles prolongs the relative life of the EPG generator by more than 200% in relation to the micrometric composition. A higher NRC voltage was also observed.

Example 14

Arranging multiple EPGs according to specific configurations as in Example 5 results in at least a 10% increase in power generated in a larger volume. In this test, the current is measured using a multimeter. This experiment considers ten EPG generators connected in series. In the first configuration, the EPGs are placed side by side; the electrodes of different EPG generators are not in physical contact, but are connected electrically by means of a copper wire. In a second configuration, the EPGs are grouped, preferably retaining the connecting wires, preferably bringing the copper and aluminum surfaces of adjacent EPGs into contact. The last configuration showed I=15 mA, while the first one measured I=13 mA.

Example 15

In another embodiment of the present invention, it has been demonstrated that the EPG is capable of supplying current by charging a capacitor C included in the corresponding circuit. As shown in the circuit shown in FIG. 12A, the element is connected in series with the capacitor C at the initial voltage Vi=0 V. The element may be an EPG generator (as shown in Fig. 2) or may be a PGM module, namely, a plurality of EPG generators connected in series,

- 13 041601 as shown in FIG. 12A and 12V. This element is connected in series with the capacitor C by means of the switch SW in the first switching state. During the charging phase (FIG. 12A), the EPG charges the capacitor to an equilibrium voltage. Immediately after the capacitor C is charged, the switch is activated (second switching state) to connect the capacitor to an arbitrarily chosen resistor in such a way as to discharge the capacitor (discharge phase or rest phase); during this period, the element is electrically insulated (FIG. 12B). The term resistor generally refers to an electrical resistor, a diode, a combination thereof, or any electrical component capable of discharging the capacitor C when the switch SW is in said second switching state.

The energy stored in the capacitor C is calculated from the characteristics of the capacitance and the charging voltage (Vc) measured with a multimeter; This unit uses an electrochemical capacitor. In one of the tests performed, a time switch is used to alternately charge the capacitor C and carry out a rest phase during which the element is electrically isolated, in this phase the voltage source element is restored. During said rest phase (configuration B), when the capacitor is connected in series with a randomly selected resistor (RL) for the sole purpose of fully discharging it before the next charge cycle begins, the discharge curve of capacitor C is monitored with a multimeter.

Example 16

The ability to charge a capacitor operating under alternate discharge conditions was evaluated for a PGM (Power Generator Module) module configured according to the materials and methods set forth in Example 5.

In FIG. 12A and 12B show an EC circuit with a load resistance R _L of 150 kΩ and a PGM module containing 15 EPGs connected in series resulting in a total CRC voltage of 15.3 V.

Alternate discharge includes 10 minutes of work (charging phase) and 10 minutes of rest (resting phase). However, different time periods of the on-off states can be arbitrarily applied. During 10 minutes of operation, the circuit was closed and the capacitor was charged by the PGM module. During 10 minutes of rest, the circuit was open and the capacitor was discharged with the help of resistance. The expression on state is intended to indicate the period of operation during which the capacitor was charged. In a particular case, this condition occurred cyclically every 10 minutes. During the next 10 minutes, the capacitor was disconnected (off state) from the PGM module and discharged using resistance R _L .

This type of experiment was carried out on capacitors with a capacity of 500 μF. In FIG. 13 shows the NRC voltage values for the capacitor directly at the beginning of the off state.

This test was performed for 256 cycles, resulting in an average NRC voltage of 13.3 V. Figure 16 summarizes the power supplied by the PGM module, consisting of 15 EPGs in series, and the energy densities calculated with an effective run time of 42.6 hours.

Table 16

Power and energy density values for the PGM module

Tue Wh Wh/l Wh/kg 7.4E-5 ZD4E-3 8.61Е-03 2.97Е-03

The electrical power (W) was calculated taking into account the energy (E) required to charge a capacitor with a capacity (C) at a given voltage (V) within the considered time period (t), according to the general formula

In this case, the energy was calculated according to the formula adopted for a capacitor with parallel plates,

The measurement results are also given in terms of energy (Wh), since it was supplied at a constant rate for a period of time in hours (h). To calculate energy density (Wh/l) and specific energy (Wh/kg), the volume and mass of the PGM module were used, expressed in liters (l) and kilograms (kg) respectively: in the case of these calculations, volume and mass refer to the entire EPG containing metal electrodes, not just the active material.

Claims (21)

CLAIM 1. Electric power generator (EPG), including at least the first electrode (11) and the second electrode (12), while the electric power generator includes a thermoelectric active material between the said electrodes (11, 12), where the thermoelectric active material - 14 041601 includes at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi ₂ O ₃ , Al2O ₃ and TiO2, at least one thickening additive selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and gum arabic, and at least one plasticizing additive, wherein the particle size of said at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm, moreover, when the thickening additive is methylcellulose, its amount is in the range from 0.19 to 6.5% relative to the total mass of the active material. 2. An electric power generator (EPG) according to claim 1, wherein said at least one oxygen-containing compound has an average particle diameter in the range of 15 nm to 10 µm, preferably 20 nm to 5 µm. 3. An electric power generator (EPG) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one oxygen-containing compound has an average particle diameter in the range of 10 to 200 nm, preferably in the range of 15-100 nm, more preferably 20-40 nm. 4. An electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least one oxygen-containing compound is MgO in an amount ranging from 3 to 17%, preferably 10%, based on the total weight of the active material . 5. Electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least one oxygen-containing compound is ZnO or ZrO ₂ . 6. An electric power generator (EPG) according to claim 5, wherein the amount of said at least one oxygen-containing compound is in the range of 0.7 to 10%, preferably 3.7%, based on the total weight of the active material. 7. Electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said at least one thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of agar-agar, xanthan gum and methylcellulose. 8. The electric power generator (EPG) according to claim 7, wherein the amount of said at least one thickening additive is in the range of 0.19 to 6.5%, preferably 0.84%, based on the total weight of the thermoelectric active material . 9. Electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of silicone, siloxanes, carnauba wax, naphthalene, polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), parylene, polytetrafluoroethylene ( PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). 10. Electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, containing silicone in an amount in the range from 5 to 40%, preferably from 12.5 to 37.5%, more preferably 33.3%, in relation to the total weight of the active material. 11. Electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which contains MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, agar-agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and silicone. 12. An electrical power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said electrodes are made from different materials. 13. An electrical power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said electrodes are made from the same material. 14. An electric power generator (EPG) according to claim 12, wherein said first electrode (11) is made of copper and said second electrode is made of aluminum. 15. An electric power generator (EPG) according to claim 13, wherein said electrodes are made of copper. 16. An electric power generator (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein said electrodes are made of a material selected from the group consisting of metals, alloys and carbon-based materials. 17. Power generator module (PGM), characterized in that it includes a plurality of electric power generators (EPG) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, said generators being connected in parallel or in series. 18. The Power Generator Module (PGM) of claim 17, wherein when said EPGs are connected in series, the electrodes of the different EPGs are electrically connected by a conductive wire. 19. The Power Generator Module (PGM) of claim 17, wherein when said EPGs are connected in series, they are grouped such that the electrode surface of the first EPG is in contact with the surface of the second EPG. 20. An electrical circuit (EC) including an EPG generator according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein said circuit (EC) also includes a capacitor (C), a resistor (RL), and a switch (SW), in which, in the first state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said EPG generator; and in the second state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said resistor (R _L ). - 15 041601 21. An electrical circuit (EC) including a PGM according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein said circuit (EC) also includes a capacitor (C), a resistor (RL) and a switch (SW), wherein in the first state said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said PGM; and in the second state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said resistor (R _L ).