Fabrication of PEDOT: PSS-PVP Nanofiber-Embedded Sb2Te3 Thermoelectric Films by Multi-Step Coating and Their Improved Thermoelectric Properties

Abstract

Antimony telluride thin films display intrinsic thermoelectric properties at room temperature, although their Seebeck coefficients and electrical conductivities may be unsatisfactory. To address these issues, we designed composite films containing upper and lower Sb2Te3 layers encasing conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)- polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) nanowires. Thermoelectric Sb2Te3/PEDOT:PSS-PVP/Sb2Te3(ED) (STPPST) hybrid composite films were prepared by a multi-step coating process involving sputtering, electrospinning, and electrodeposition stages. The STPPST hybrid composites were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The thermoelectric performance of the prepared STPPST hybrid composites, evaluated in terms of the power factor, electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, demonstrated enhanced thermoelectric efficiency over a reference Sb2Te3 film. The performance of the composite Sb2Te3/PEDOT:PSS-PVP/Sb2Te3 film was greatly enhanced, with σ = 365 S/cm, S = 124 μV/K, and a power factor 563 μW/mK.

Effect of pH Value on the Electrical Properties of PEDOT:PSS-Based Fiber Mats

“…PSS disperses and stabilizes PEDOT by forming colloidal particles containing a higher number of PSS chains at the periphery and a higher number of PEDOT chains at the core . Due to its electrical properties, PEDOT:PSS-based electrospun fibers have been used in various applications, including gas sensors that detect organic vapors, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and hydrogen gas, as well as strain , and humidity sensors; and thermoelectric devices. − In most of these studies, PEDOT:PSS was blended with a non-conducting carrier polymer, such as poly­(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), − polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), or poly­(ethylene oxide) (PEO) , to improve the electrospinnability. In one study by Huang et al, the carrier polymer was avoided by blending PEDOT:PSS with a small amount of magnesium nitrate that acted as a thickener to facilitate electrospinning.…”

Improvement of the thermoelectric performance of boron-doped silicon by blocking minority carrier diffusion on the p+/p interface

“…Grain and compositional boundaries can increase the Seebeck coefficient via the carrier energy filtering effect and/or reduce the thermal conductivity via phonon scattering, and the coexistence or independence of these effects has also been discussed. 10,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] The impact of grain boundaries and dopant segregation in polycrystalline Si results in higher resistivity, higher Seebeck coefficient, and lower thermal conductivity than in single crystalline Si, which has been under intense investigation for decades. [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] The enhancement of ZT produced by heterostructure barriers in Bi 2 Te 3 , Mg 2 Sn 1−x Si x , Si 1−x Ge x , 31) and PbTe-based alloys 32) have been investigated theoretically.…”