The
development of n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)
stable under an air atmosphere is a key issue to prepare an efficient
and stable thermoelectric conversion device using SWCNTs. Doping of
SWCNT sheets with 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]imidazole (o-MeO–DMBI) offers air-stable n-type SWCNT sheets. However,
a clear mechanism of the stabilization in air has not been clarified
yet. In this study, air stability is found to largely depend on the
doping concentration. Adsorption isotherm experiments of the dopant
onto SWCNT sheet reveal that the entire coverage of the SWCNT surface
by o-MeO–DMBI cation is the key requirement
to realize the air stability, which is well-supported by the theoretical
calculation. This finding provides useful guidelines to develop air-stable
n-type SWCNTs with various n-dopants.
Thermal deposition of n-dopant onto SWCNT sheet (p-type) using patterned mask can fabricate p–n patterns with high special resolution. Thermoelectric generator using patterned SWCNT sheets exhibited power density of 60 nW cm−2 at ΔT = 25 °C.
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