Abstract
A flexible thermoelectric materials (FTEM) films based on Polydimethylsiloxane as the polymer matrix and (Zinc Oxide, Polyaniline and multi wall Carbon nanotube) as the fillers were prepared. The fillers were prepared using modified sol–gel method to enhance the distribution of the nanoparticles inside the polymer matrix and good performance. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and dielectric measurements were carried out for all of the four films. The Seebeck coefficient results for the investigated films were −40, 220, −120, 280 μv/k° at 200 °C for FTEM 1, 2, 3, 4 alternatively. The sign and the value for the Seebeck measurements show a great dependent on the filler type add to the film. The electrical conductivity results for the films was varied from 2 × 10−8 to 0.14 S/m and strongly dependent on the fillers electrical conductivity. The less dependent on the thermal conductivity of the fillers and a slight change in the thermal conductivity value of the films were obtained. The figure of merit for the films was ranged from 1.14 × 10−16 to 3.134 × 10−8. The dielectric results ranged from 4 to 3500. Reducing the screening effect will increase the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient values.
Highlights
Energy harvesting converts different types of energy into electric energy
The flexible thermoelectric materials (FTEM) 3 film shows a moderate enhancement in the Seebeck coefficient; this can be assigned to the high electrical conductivity of MWCNT filler
Simple sol–gel method is used to synthesis of flexible thermoelectric material films consist of cheap and nontoxic materials
Summary
Energy harvesting converts different types of energy into electric energy. These energies can be found everywhere in nature such as mechanical, light and thermal energies all of these energies can be converted to electricity via different mechanisms (Hicks et al 1996; Candolfi et al 2011; Vaqueiro and Powell 2010). A new method was investigated to enhance the figure of merit by increasing both Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity through the reduction of the screening effect. FTEM 2 was prepared by dispersion of 10% wt of ZnO and 20% wt of PANI into 5 ml of THF and mixed the solution using ultrasonic device. FTEM 3 was prepared by dispersion of 10% wt of ZnO, 0.8% wt F-MWCNT and 0.8% wt MWCNT into 5 ml of THF and mixed the solution using ultrasonic device. FTEM 4 was prepared by dispersion of 10% wt of ZnO, 20% wt of PANI, 0.8% wt F-MWCNT and 0.8% wt MWCNT into 5 ml of THF and mixed the solution using ultrasonic device. The average crystallite size of the ZnO nanoparticle D was found to be 19.5 nm
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