Free-standing highly conducting PEDOT films for flexible thermoelectric generator. (1st March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ni, Dan; Song, Haijun; Chen, Yuanxun; Cai, Kefeng
• Is Part Of: Energy. Volume 170(2019)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 61
• Publication Date: 2019-03-01
• Subjects: Flexible -- PEDOT -- Free-standing -- Highly conductive -- Thermoelectric; Power resources -- Periodicals; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy consumption -- Periodicals; 333.7905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2018.12.124
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-5442

Abstract

Abstract: Recently, organic thermoelectric (TE) materials especially conducting polymers have attracted increasing attention. In this work, we successfully synthesized ultrafine poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanowires (NWs) (∼10 nm) by a simple self-assembled micellar soft-template method and then obtain highly flexible free-standing PEDOT NW films by vacuum-assisted filtration. The films are with very high electrical conductivity (∼1340 S cm −1 ). After being treated with 6 M H2 SO4 and then with 1 M NaOH at room temperature, the film shows an enhanced power factor of 46.51 μW m −1 K −2 (Seebeck coefficient of 25.5 μV K −1, electrical conductivity of 715.3 S cm −1 ), which increases by 54% compared with that of the pristine film. To the best of our knowledge, it outperforms the TE performance of all reported one dimensional conducting polymer-based films. In addition, the TE performance of the film almost remains unchanged even after being bent for 200 times, indicating excellent flexibility. A flexible TE prototype composed of six strips (7 mm × 30 mm) of the as-prepared PEDOT NW films connected in series shows an output power of 157.2 nW at a temperature difference of 51.6 K. The free-standing PEDOT NW films show promise to a new generation of wearable TE devices. Highlights: A simple method was used to prepare free-standing PEDOT nanowire films. The PEDOT films show excellent flexibility. The optimized PEDOT film shows a best TE property of all 1D polymer-based films. A flexible device assembled from the film generates 7.1 mV and 157.2 nW at 51.6 K.