Embedding of zinc peroxide (ZnO2) nano-particles into PEDOT:PSS for fabricating a new PEDOT:PSS/ZnO2 system with promising thermoelectric functions

Recently, conducting polymers have been widely used in thermoelectric (TE) technology, owing to their bendability, easy processability, their low intrinsic thermal conductivity and their distinct TE functions. Thus, in this respect, a new TE system based on Poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene):Poly(styrenesulphonate) and Zinc peroxide nano-particles (PEDOT:PSS/ZnO2) has been constructed for TE purposes. The impact of ZnO2 content on the anisotropic (in plane//and through plane ⊥) TE functions has been investigated at 300 K. At ZnO2 = 60 wt%, PEDOT:PSS/ZnO2 system owns an optimal σ//∼1348.33 ± 27.5 S/m and σ⊥∼791.68 ± 30.9 S/m higher than σ//∼870.16 ± 26.5 S/m and σ⊥∼512.59 ± 12.58 S/m of PEDOT:PSS thanks to the great surface area, high dispersion, high electronegativity nature of ZnO2, besides, the strong interactions between ZnO2 and PEDOT:PSS, and the increase in the carrier mobility. The PEDOT:PSS/ZnO2 system owns an optimal S// ∼31.63 ± 0.35 μV/K and S⊥∼25.76 ± 0.20 μV/K at ZnO2 = 60 wt% higher than S// ∼15.5 ± 0.5 μV/K and S⊥∼10.66 ± 0.37 μV/K for PEDOT:PSS thanks to the decrease in the carrier concentration. The PEDOT:PSS/ZnO2 system owns an optimal PF//∼1.34 ± 0.04 μW/mK2 and PF⊥∼0.52 ± 0.04 μW/mK2 at ZnO2 = 60 wt% higher than PF//∼0.20 ± 0.04 μW/mK2 and PF⊥∼0.05 ± 0.01 μW/mK2 for PEDOT:PSS owing to the energy filtering effects at the interfaces and the increase in the carrier mobilities. Accordingly, the obtained zT// ∼4.26 ± 0.2 × 10─4 and zT⊥ ∼2.72 ± 0.1 × 10─4 have been achieved at 300 K for ZnO2 = 60 wt%. The system displays a high environmental (humid and air) stability. Finally, the suggested system which is based on PEDOT:PSS and peroxide metals shows promising TE functions for many applications such as electronic, temperature sensing and wearable technology.