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Multilayered carbon nanotube/polymer composite based thermoelectric fabrics
Corey A Hewitt1, Alan B Kaiser, Siegmar Roth
1Center for Nanotechnology, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, North Carolina 27105, USA.
Nano Letters
|February 10, 2012
Summary
Researchers developed novel thermoelectric fabrics from carbon nanotube/polymer composites. These lightweight, low-cost materials offer enhanced power output, showing promise for portable electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid-State Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Thermoelectric materials convert heat to electricity.
- Carbon nanotube/polymer composites show thermoelectric effects but have low performance (ZT=0.02).
- Existing thermoelectric materials like bismuth telluride are expensive and heavy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop advanced thermoelectric materials with improved performance.
- To explore the potential of layered carbon nanotube/polymer composites.
- To create a cost-effective and lightweight thermoelectric alternative.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite films.
- Layering of composite films into multi-element modules resembling fabric.
- Characterization of thermoelectric voltage generation and power output.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated layered MWNT/PVDF composite films with enhanced thermoelectric voltage.
- Layered structure enables summation of voltage contributions, increasing power output.
- The resulting fabric exhibits promising thermoelectric performance.
Conclusions:
- Layered MWNT/PVDF composite fabrics offer a scalable and potentially cheaper alternative to traditional thermoelectrics.
- These materials show significant promise for applications in portable and lightweight electronics.
- Further development could lead to efficient solid-state energy conversion solutions.
