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Flexible Thermoelectric Generators with Ultrahigh Output Power Enabled by Magnetic Field–Aligned Metallic Nanowires
Author(s) -
Chen Yani,
He Minhong,
Tang Junhui,
Bazan Guillermo C.,
Liang Ziqi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced electronic materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.25
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 2199-160X
DOI - 10.1002/aelm.201800200
Subject(s) - materials science , thermoelectric effect , pedot:pss , nanowire , nanocomposite , thermoelectric materials , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , fabrication , thermoelectric generator , composite material , thermal conductivity , medicine , physics , alternative medicine , layer (electronics) , pathology , thermodynamics
Emerging organic–inorganic thermoelectric nanocomposites (TENCs) are promising candidates for the realization of high‐performance flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs), yet there is an absence of effective means to precisely regulate the film morphology of TENCs. Here, the use of a magnetic field to improve thermoelectric performance of solution fabricated n‐type metallic TENCs is reported. Of particular relevance is that the magnetic field gives rise to aligned Co nanowires (NWs) within a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix. Such oriented TENCs exhibit significantly increased electrical conductivity in comparison to identical nanocomposites that are randomly oriented. As a result, the best power factor of oriented Co NWs (80 wt%)/PVDF TENCs reaches 523 µW m −1 K −2 at 320 K, which is among the highest reported n‐type TENCs. By pairing these n‐type TENCs with benchmark p‐type poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) thin films, the fabrication of flexible and planar TEGs that yield a maximum output voltage and power of 26.4 mV and 5.2 µW when ∆ T = 50 K, respectively, is reported.