Exploring High-Performance n-Type Thermoelectric Composites Using Amino-Substituted Rylene Dimides and Carbon Nanotubes

Guangbao Wu; Zhi-Guo Zhang; Yongfang Li; Caiyan Gao; Xin Wang; Guangming Chen

doi:10.1021/acsnano.7b01279

Exploring High-Performance n-Type Thermoelectric Composites Using Amino-Substituted Rylene Dimides and Carbon Nanotubes

ACS Nano. 2017 Jun 27;11(6):5746-5752. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.7b01279. Epub 2017 May 18.

Authors

Guangbao Wu^{1

2}, Zhi-Guo Zhang¹, Yongfang Li¹, Caiyan Gao¹, Xin Wang², Guangming Chen¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
² Key Laboratory of Rubber-Plastics, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, P. R. China.

PMID: 28511002
DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.7b01279

Abstract

Taking advantage of the high electrical conductivity of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and the large Seebeck coefficient of rylene diimide, a convenient strategy is proposed to achieve high-performance n-type thermoelectric (TE) composites containing a SWCNT and amino-substituted perylene diimide (PDINE) or naphthalene diimide (NDINE). The obtained n-type composites display greatly enhanced TE performance with maximum power factors of 112 ± 8 (PDINE/SWCNT) and 135 ± 14 (NDINE/SWCNT) μW m^-1 K^-2. A short doping time of 0.5 h can ensure high TE performance. The corresponding TE module consisting of five p-n junctions reaches a large output power of 3.3 μW under a 50 °C temperature gradient. In addition, the n-type composites exhibit high air stability and excellent thermal stability. This design strategy benefits the future fabricating of high-performance n-type TE materials and devices.

Keywords: amino-substituted rylene diimide; composite; n-type; single-walled carbon nanotube; thermoelectric.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't