Flexible N-Type Thermoelectric Composites Based on Non-Conductive Polymer with Innovative Bi2Se3-CNT Hybrid Nanostructured Filler
Polymers 2021
Juris Bitenieks, Krišjānis Buks, Remo Merijs-Meri, Jana Andžāne, Tatjana Ivanova, L Bugovecka, Vanda Voikiva, Jānis Zicāns, Donāts Erts

This research is devoted to the fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) based n-type thermoelectric composites with innovative hybrid bismuth selenide-multiwalled carbon nanotube (Bi2Se3-MWCNT) fillers for application in flexible thermoelectric devices. Hybrid fillers were synthesized by direct deposition of Bi2Se3 on multiwalled carbon nanotubes using a physical vapor deposition method, thus ensuring direct electrical contact between the carbon nanotubes and Bi2Se3. The Seebeck coefficient of prepared PVOH/Bi2Se3-MWCNT composites was found to be comparable with that for the Bi2Se3 thin films, reaching -100 mu V center dot K-1 for the composite with 30 wt.% filler, and fluctuations of the resistance of these composites did not exceed 1% during 100 repetitive bending cycles down to 10 mm radius, indicating the good mechanical durability of these composites and proving their high potential for application in flexible thermoelectrics. In addition, other properties of the fabricated composites that are important for the use of polymer-based materials such as thermal stability, storage modulus and linear coefficient of thermal expansion were found to be improved in comparison with the neat PVOH.


Keywords
Bismuth selenide nanostructures; Carbon nanotubes; Flexible thermoelectric composites; Hybrid network; Polyvinyl alcohol based composite materials
DOI
10.3390/polym13234264
Hyperlink
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/23/4264

Bitenieks, J., Buks, K., Merijs-Meri, R., Andžāne, J., Ivanova, T., Bugovecka, L., Voikiva, V., Zicāns, J., Erts, D. Flexible N-Type Thermoelectric Composites Based on Non-Conductive Polymer with Innovative Bi2Se3-CNT Hybrid Nanostructured Filler. Polymers, 2021, Vol. 13, No. 23, Article number 4264. ISSN 2073-4360. Available from: doi:10.3390/polym13234264

Publication language
English (en)
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