Preparation and Properties of PEDOT:PSS-Based Thermoelectric Thin Films

PEDOT:PSS (poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly (styrenesulfonate)) has the advantages of excellent thermoelectric properties, good environmental stability, outstanding processability, etc. It is a new type of polymer thermoelectric material with great development potential to improve its conductivity and Seebeck coefficient by compounding or doping with nanomaterials. In this study, PEDOT:PSS was composited with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to prepare PEDOT:PSS/CNT composite films with excellent thermoelectric properties. The ionic liquid (IL) and polymer surfactants (PEG, PEG-PPG-PEG) doping on the thermoelectric properties of the composite system. The maximum electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of the prepared PEDOT:PSS/CNT composite film are 1581.06 S/cm (CNT content of 10 wt%) and 20.28 μV/K (CNT content of 40 wt%), respectively, and the maximum power factor can reach 52.51 μW ·m -1 ·K -2 (CNT content is 30wt%). After the introduction of PEG doping, the Seebeck coefficient can reach up to 23.62 μV/K.