Molecular interaction-induced thermoelectric performance enhancement of graphene thin films with an agglomerated conductive polymer

Abstract

Graphene-based materials are anticipated to be used as thermoelectric conversion devices due to their flexibility and low toxicity, in addition to their high thermoelectric performance. In this study, we demonstrated an enhancement in the thermoelectric power factor of graphene thin films with agglomerated PEDOT:PSS through π–π interactions. The graphene/PEDOT:PSS thin films were prepared by a spin-coating method. Atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy revealed that PEDOT:PSS agglomerated on graphene thin films through π–π interactions. The fabricated sample exhibited a 1.6 times higher power factor compared to graphene single-phase thin films. The local π–π interactions with PEDOT:PSS contribute to the electron transfer from graphene to PEDOT and the enhanced crystallinity of graphene throughout the thin film, resulting in a high power factor. This study contributes to the development of graphene-based thermoelectric materials.