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Poly(3,4‐Ethylene Dioxythiophene)/Poly(Styrene Sulfonate) Electrodes in Electrochemical Cells for Harvesting Waste Heat
Author(s) -
Wang Ying,
Mukaida Masakazu,
Kirihara Kazuhiro,
Lyu Lingyun,
Wei Qingshuo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.201900998
Subject(s) - pedot:pss , materials science , sulfonate , anode , polystyrene sulfonate , electrochemistry , electrode , electrolyte , styrene , prussian blue , electrochromism , redox , chemical engineering , polymer , composite material , chemistry , copolymer , sodium , engineering , metallurgy
Low‐grade waste heat is harvested using electrochemical cells. However, the high cost of commonly used platinum electrodes limits their application. Herein, poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) films are reported as attractive alternatives to platinum electrodes, as they show a lower charge transfer resistance. Using ferricyanide/ferrocyanide as the electrolyte, the PEDOT/PSS‐based thermoelectrochemical cell with dimensions of 5 cm × 5 cm × 2 cm delivers a maximum power output of 300 μW with 1 Ω loading at a temperature difference of ≈30 K, which is sufficient for driving an array of light‐emitting diodes and Bluetooth humidity/temperature sensors for wireless communication. Furthermore, PEDOT/PSS offers the advantage of compatibility with insoluble redox couples such as Prussian blue analog materials, which facilitates determining the temperature‐dependent redox potential of different materials. The appropriate combination of redox couples enables realizing thermally regenerative electrochemical cells. Power can be generated during an environmental temperature change; however, the temperature difference between different electrodes need not be maintained for these cells.