Thermoelectric energy from flexible P3HT films doped with a ferric salt of triflimide anions

Abstract

Due to their low thermal conductivity, non-toxicity and low cost, conductive polymer materials are potential candidates for thermoelectric applications. Here, a detailed investigation into the thermoelectric properties of P3HT films is reported. A thermoelectric power factor over 20 μW m⁻¹ K⁻² at room temperature was obtained by employing a ferric salt of triflimide (TFSI⁻) anions as a dopant. Flexible films of P3HT-TFSI were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), along with temperature-variant electrical measurements. Given the promising results obtained from ordinary P3HT films by a simple doping treatment, this work suggests the significance of the appropriate choice of dopants and/or counterions, as well as the polymers themselves.