Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties and Flexibility of 2D Bi₂Si₂Te₆ Nanosheets and PEDOT:PSS-Based Thermoelectric Composites

Abstract

Herein, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-treated Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 nanosheet (NS)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PE-DOT:PSS) composite films with enhanced thermoelectric (TE) properties and flexibility are prepared. First, the Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NSs for use as inorganic fillers are manufactured via a hydrothermal reaction to intercalate lithium, followed by exfoliation. The as-fabricated Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NS are then dispersed into the PEDOT:PSS, and Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NS/PEDOT:PSS composite films are fabricated via a drop-casting method. The as-synthesized Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NS/PEDOT:PSS composite shows an enhanced power factor due to the outstanding electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of the Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NSs. Specifically, the composite film with 50 wt % Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NSs shows a maximum power factor of ∼140.4 μW/m•K 2 . Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of the Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NS/PEDOT:PSS composite was improved via post-synthetic treatment with DMSO. An enhanced power factor of ∼164.1 μW/m•K 2 was reached by using 50 wt % Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 NS and 5 vol % of DMSO. The asprepared TE composite is expected to provide an important component for flexible organic/inorganic hybrid materials with enhanced TE performance.

Photothermoelectric and Hydrovoltaic Effect Synergistic Multistage Core–Shell Structure Coated Fabrics of Flexible Fabricated Photothermoelectric Panels

“…Optical thermoelectric fabrics exhibit the potential to be a smart wearable device with the ability to convert light energy into electricity. Moreover, researchers have also worked on combining organic thermoelectric materials with high electrical conductivity and inorganic thermoelectric materials with high Seebeck coefficients to obtain composite photothermal materials or improve their photothermal to thermoelectric output capacity by exploiting the energy filtering effect at the phase boundary with nanomaterials. − For example, Li et al prepared a photothermal–thermoelectric 3D spacer fabric (ZrC-PPSF) (PEDOT: PSS)/spacer fabric (SF) carbide/polyurethane (ZrC/PU) photothermal layer on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS). A flexible wearable wristband containing 30 ZrC-PPSF units was prepared.…”

Highly porous thermoelectric composites with high figure of merit and low thermal conductivity from solution-synthesized porous Bi2Si2Te6 nanosheets

“…35,36 One such compound is Bi 2 Si 2 Te 6 , which possesses a two-dimensional layered structure and shows promise as a p-type TE composite. This is primarily attributed to its low κ and impressive S. [37][38][39][40] Recently, nanostructures have gained widespread attention in various studies as a means to enhance ZT by reducing the thermal conductivity (κ) of thermoelectric (TE) composite materials. 17,22 The decline in κ, attributed to nanostructure formation, arises from increased phonon scattering owing to higher grain boundary density, thereby lowering κ l .…”