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Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
Published on: February 5, 2020
Organic Thermoelectric Materials as the Waste Heat Remedy
Szymon Gogoc1, Przemyslaw Data1
1Centre for Organic and Nanohybrid Electronics, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22B, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
Abstract:
The primary reason behind the search for novel organic materials for application in thermoelectric devices is the toxicity of inorganic substances and the difficulties associated with their processing for the production of thin, flexible layers. When Thomas Seebeck described a new phenomenon in Berlin in 1820, nobody could have predicted the future applications of the thermoelectric effect. Now, thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are used in watches, and thermoelectric coolers (TECs) are applied in cars, computers, and various laboratory equipment. Nevertheless, the future of thermoelectric materials lies in organic compounds. This paper discusses the developments made in thermoelectric materials, including small molecules, polymers, molecular junctions, and their applications as TEGs and/or TECs.
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