TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of electron donor/acceptor substituents on the Seebeck coefficient and thermoelectric properties of poly(3-methylthiophene methine)s/graphite composites
AU - Li, Junjie
AU - Lai, Chunhua
AU - Jia, Xiaole
AU - Wang, Lei
AU - Xiang, Xiongzhi
AU - Ho, Cheuk Lam
AU - Li, Hua
AU - Wong, Wai Yeung
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51003060 , 51171117 and 51101103 ) and Shenzhen Sci & Tech ( JC2011042 100070A and ZYC201105170225A ) for their financial support. W.-Y. Wong acknowledges the financial support from Hong Kong Baptist University ( FRG2/12-13/083 ), Hong Kong Research Grants Council ( HKBU203313 ) and Areas of Excellence Scheme, University Grants Committee of HKSAR, China (Project No. AoE/P-03/08 ). H. Li thanks the 111 Project and the Beijing Engineering Research Center of Food Environment and Public Health at Minzu University of China (No. B08044 and No. 10301–01404026 ) for their financial support.
Publisher copyright:
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/8
Y1 - 2015/8
N2 - Recently, the use of polymers as thermoelectric materials has attracted considerable attention. However, relatively few studies have investigated the effects of polymer structures on the corresponding thermoelectric properties of the polymers. In this work, a series of poly(3-methylthiophene methine)s (PMMs) were synthesized for use as thermoelectric materials, and the effects on the Seebeck coefficient of donor or acceptor side groups at the methine carbon were studied. The PMMs with strongly electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups exhibited the highest Seebeck coefficients. Motivated by the high Seebeck coefficients of the selected PMMs, PMM/graphite composites were prepared via solution mixing followed by mechanical ball milling and cold pressing. The thermoelectric properties of the composites were investigated as a function of the graphite (G) concentration. The highest ZT (6.23 × 10-3) was measured for the poly[(3-methylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (p-(methoxy)benzylidene)]/G composite that contained 90 wt% G. The results of this work suggest that the thermoelectric properties of polymer-inorganic composites can be improved by designing polymers with high Seebeck coefficients.
AB - Recently, the use of polymers as thermoelectric materials has attracted considerable attention. However, relatively few studies have investigated the effects of polymer structures on the corresponding thermoelectric properties of the polymers. In this work, a series of poly(3-methylthiophene methine)s (PMMs) were synthesized for use as thermoelectric materials, and the effects on the Seebeck coefficient of donor or acceptor side groups at the methine carbon were studied. The PMMs with strongly electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups exhibited the highest Seebeck coefficients. Motivated by the high Seebeck coefficients of the selected PMMs, PMM/graphite composites were prepared via solution mixing followed by mechanical ball milling and cold pressing. The thermoelectric properties of the composites were investigated as a function of the graphite (G) concentration. The highest ZT (6.23 × 10-3) was measured for the poly[(3-methylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (p-(methoxy)benzylidene)]/G composite that contained 90 wt% G. The results of this work suggest that the thermoelectric properties of polymer-inorganic composites can be improved by designing polymers with high Seebeck coefficients.
KW - A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
KW - B. Electrical properties
KW - D. Chemical analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961291203&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.compositesb.2015.03.041
DO - 10.1016/j.compositesb.2015.03.041
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84961291203
SN - 1359-8368
VL - 77
SP - 248
EP - 256
JO - Composites Part B: Engineering
JF - Composites Part B: Engineering
ER -