SHORT COMMUNICATION
Enhanced thermoelectric properties of PEDOT:PSS composites by functionalized single wall carbon nanotubes
Murat Tonga,
Lang Wei,
Paul M. Lahti,
Corresponding Author
Murat Tonga
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Correspondence
Murat Tonga, Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorLang Wei
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Search for more papers by this authorPaul M. Lahti
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMurat Tonga,
Lang Wei,
Paul M. Lahti,
Corresponding Author
Murat Tonga
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Correspondence
Murat Tonga, Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorLang Wei
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Search for more papers by this authorPaul M. Lahti
Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Grant/Award Number: W911QY-12-2-007; US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Grant/Award Number: W911NF-14-2-0002
Summary
This contribution investigates the utilization of carboxylic acid and hydroxyl functionalized single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for enhancing thermoelectric (TE) performances of the composites prepared with an inherently conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Our results indicated an atypical thermoelectric property which is a simultaneous increase in electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient which leads a greater power factor (PF) up to 22 μW m−1 K−2 while it is only 0.7 μW m−1 K−2 for the sample prepared with pristine SWNT. The functionalities on the carbon nanotube walls facilitate blend dispersion in aqueous media without requiring any surfactants and also enhance PFs as a result of improved charge transport routes. The improvement in the thermoelectric performance can be ascribed to hydrogen bonds with the -COOH or -OH groups on the nanotube walls which help induce the polymer chains to adopt an extended conformation.
Supporting Information
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| er5535-sup-0001-supinfo.docxWord 2007 document , 2.4 MB | Data S1. Supporting Information. |
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