Highly improved thermoelectric performances of PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT composites by solvent treatment

Abstract Composites of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) were prepared by mixing aqueous dispersions of PEDOT:PSS and SWCNT at different weight ratios. By being soaked with DMSO for 2 min at room temperature, the PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT composite with an optimized SWCNT weight ratio of 74 wt% exhibited a high electric conductivity of 3800 S cm−1 and a reasonable Seebeck coefficient of 28 μV K−1, leading to a promising power factor of 300 μW m−1 K−2 and a hopeful ZT value of 0.13. Possible reasons for the highly improved properties are carefully discussed.