Abstract
Organic and composite thermoelectric (TE) materials have witnessed explosive developments in recent years. Design strategy of their flexible devices is vital to achieve high performance and suit various application environments. Here, we propose a design strategy of annular flexible TE devices with integrated-module architecture, where the independent modules made up of alternatively connected p-n couples are connected in series, and then rounded head-to-tail into annular configuration. The achieved devices can not only save plenty of space owing to their highly integrated structure design, but also be directly mounted on cylindrical objects (like pipes) to suit versatile applications. More importantly, the annular TE devices display excellent performances, superior to most previous work and the traditional serial single-layer film structure. For example, the annular device with eight modules consisting of three p-n couples reveals an output power of 12.37 μW at a temperature gradient of 18 K, much higher than that of the corresponding single-layer film structure (1.74 μW). The integration process is simple and easy to scale up. This architecture design strategy will greatly speed up the TE applications and benefit the research of organic and composite TE materials.
Highlights
We proposed that the assembly strategy followed the sequence of the serial > the folding > the stacking for flexible TE devices composed of p- and n-type film couples.[24]
This will inevitably lead to the enlarged device sizes or dimensions, which take up plenty of space and seriously limit their actual applications
The pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is employed as the p-type material, and the n-type films were obtained by treating SWCNT with a commercialized PEDOT:PSS (PH1000) and subsequent polyethyleneimine (PEI) or cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) (See Supplementary Information 1 for details)
Summary
Thermoelectric (TE) materials are unique and irreplaceable in their capability of harvesting waste or lowquality heat, which covers most of the heat generated in our industrial productions and daily lives.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7] In recent few years, organic and their composite TE materials have witnessed explosive developments owing to their obvious advantages of solution-processability, light-weight, and well source in earth, etc., compared with their conventional inorganic counterparts.[8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23] For example, various preparation strategies have been developed to achieve organic materials or composites with high TE performances, including template-directed in situ polymerization, nanostructure-controlled construction and layer-by-layer assembly.[8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16] high figure of merit (ZT) value (0.58)[17] or power factor (PF, 2710 μW m−1 K−2),[18] being almost comparable to the inorganic TE materials, have already been attained. High TE output performance and to suit practical application environments are the main objectives for fabrication of TE devices. Design strategy is vital for realizing high performance for TE devices.[5] Very recently, we proposed that the assembly strategy followed the sequence of the serial > the folding > the stacking for flexible TE devices composed of p- and n-type film couples.[24] In order to maximize the output power, the increase of p-n pairs is usually applied at a constant temperature gradient.[25] this will inevitably lead to the enlarged device sizes or dimensions, which take up plenty of space and seriously limit their actual applications. Annular flexible TE devices are strongly desired in large-scale applications, because waste heat often occurs on the round surfaces of cylindrical objects such as pipes carrying hot fluids, heat engines, and even human wrists or arms.[26,27] it is urgent to develop new assembly strategy of annular flexible TE devices, which can realize high-output TE performance
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