Optimization of Thermoelectric transport in Solution Processed Nanocrystalline/Conducting Polymer Composites

ORAL

Abstract

In order to increase the broad applicability of thermoelectrics for cooling as well as energy conversion, both efficiency and materials cost must be reduced. Soluble conducting polymers are an attractive material due to their low cost and ease of processing, however most highly conductive systems suffer from low thermopowers. Previous work has shown the potential for nanostructured systems to overcome the performance limitations of bulk materials, enabling improvements in the thermoelectric figure of merit\textit{, ZT}. Here we have synthesized novel composites composed of both inorganic nanostructures and highly conducting polymers. Films cast from solution have stable room temperature thermoelectric power factors exceeding 50 $\mu $W/mK$^{2}$ and thermal conductivity values near 0.2 W/mK. This combination of tunable power factor and low-$\kappa $ provide a platform for developing all-solution processed high-ZT materials.

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Authors

  • Kevin C. See

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Joseph Feser

    • Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California - Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley

  • Jeffrey J. Urban

    • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Rachel A. Segalman

    • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California - Berkeley
    • UC Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories
    • UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs
    • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Dept. of Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley