Facile preparation of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate)/Ag2Te nanorod composite films for flexible thermoelectric generator

In this work, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) coated silver telluride (PC Ag 2 Te) nanorods were prepared by a wet-chemical method using the PEDOT:PSS coated tellurium (PC Te) nanorods as the templates. Flexible PC Ag 2 Te nanocomposite film on polyethersulfone (PES) substrate was prepared through vacuum filtration followed by mechanical pressing process. An optimal PC Ag 2 Te nanocomposite film showed a maximum power factor of 143.3 μW/mK 2 at room temperature and 221.7 μW/mK 2 at 373 K. The electrical conductivity of the PC Ag 2 Te composite film decreased by ∼ 3.3% after bending for 1000 times around a rod with a radius of 5 mm. An eight-leg thermoelectric generator assembled with the optimal PC Ag 2 Te nanocomposite film generated a maximum output power and output density of 209.4 nW and 141.5 μW/cm 2 at a temperature gradient of 30.3 K. This work provides a facile method to prepare thermoelectric materials for flexible thermoelectric generators.