Spray-printed CNT/P3HT organic thermoelectric films and power generators

Abstract

This study demonstrates the fabrication of high-performance thermoelectric carbon nanotube/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (CNT/P3HT) nanocomposite films and flexible CNT/P3HT organic thermoelectric generators (OTEGs) by spray-printing. The spray-printed few-walled CNT/P3HT nanocomposite films exhibited excellent thermoelectric properties. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and power factor of the nanocomposite films were 97 ± 11 μV K⁻¹, 345 ± 88 S cm⁻¹, and 325 ± 101 μW m⁻¹ K⁻², respectively, at room temperature. We fabricated flexible OTEGs solely from p-type CNT/P3HT nanocomposite patterns spray-printed on a polyimide substrate, and confirmed their electric power generation capabilities.