Enhanced thermoelectric properties of highly conductive poly (3,4-ethylenedioxy thiophene)/exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride composites

In this study, the thermoelectric properties of as-synthesized and –exfoliated graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) filled poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) were investigated. Firstly, g-C 3 N 4 was synthesized by heating of guanidine-HCl at 550 °C and exfoliated using an ultrasonic homogenizer. Then, PEDOT:PSS was synthesized by oxidative chemical polymerization. Finally, the composites containing different weight ratios of g-C 3 N 4 were prepared. The conductivity of pristine PEDOT:PSS increased from 11.1 Scm −1 to 722.15 Scm −1 for the composite containing 25% exfoliated g-C 3 N 4, whereas the power factor of PEDOT:PSS increased from 0.19 μWm −1 K −2 to 419.7 μWm −1 K −2 for the composite containing 15% exfoliated g-C 3 N 4 . This study suggests that exfoliated g-C 3 N 4 is a promising material to increase the electrical conductivity and power factor of PEDOT:PSS. • Thermoelectric properties of as-synthesized and exfoliated g-C 3 N 4 -filled PEDOT:PSS composites were investigated. • The electrical conductivity of the pristine PEDOT:PSS increased up to 722.15 Scm −1 . • The largest Seebeck coefficient of the composites was obtained as 161 µVK −1 . • The power factor of the pristine PEDOT:PSS increased from 0.19 μWm −1 K −2 up to 419.7 μWm −1 K −2 . • The addition of exfoliated g-C 3 N 4 contributed significantly to the electrical conductivity and thermoelectric properties of PEDOT:PSS.