Wearable Thermoelectric Devices Based on Three-Dimensional PEDOT:Tosylate/CuI Paper Composites.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Harvesting
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Organic thermoelectric materials are typically thin films.
• Wearable thermoelectric devices require efficient power generation from small temperature differences.
• Enhancing thermoelectric properties of organic materials is crucial for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel three-dimensional (3D) thermoelectric composites.
• To investigate the thermoelectric performance of paper PEDOT:tosylate/CuI composites.
• To demonstrate a proof-of-concept wearable thermoelectric device.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 3D paper PEDOT:tosylate/CuI composites.
• Characterization of thermoelectric properties, including power density and Seebeck coefficient.
• Assembly of a wearable thermoelectric device using the developed composites and monel wires.

Main Results:

• The 3D paper PEDOT:tosylate/CuI composites achieved a power density of 4.8 nW/cm² (ΔT = 6 K), a tenfold increase over pristine PEDOT:Tos composites.
• The Seebeck coefficient was enhanced to 225 μV K⁻¹, attributed to entrapped CuI nanocrystals.
• A wearable device generated up to 4.7 μW of power at ΔT = 20 K.

Conclusions:

• 3D paper PEDOT:tosylate/CuI composites show significantly improved thermoelectric performance.
• These composites are promising for next-generation wearable thermoelectric energy harvesting.
• The developed materials and device offer a pathway for efficient, wearable power generation.