Enhanced thermoelectric properties of flexible N-type Ag2Se nanowire/polyvinylidene fluoride composite films synthesized via solution mixing

Abstract

This paper presents inorganic/organic composites, namely, Ag2Se nanowire (NW)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films, possessing outstanding thermoelectric power factor and flexibility. The composite film was fabricated through simple solution mixing and drop-casting with various contents of Ag2Se NW (50, 60, 70 and 80 wt.%). The Ag2Se NWs were synthesized with solution mixing with as-synthesized Se NWs. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and power factor of the films were valuated; the sample containing 70 wt.% Ag2Se NWs showed exceptional durability and enhanced thermoelectric power factor. A maximum power factor of ∼180.6 μW/m K2 was reached at 400 K. Thus, the proposed Ag2Se NW/PVDF films could be used to realize flexible inorganic/organic thermoelectric devices with good conversion efficiency. In summary, we presented an efficient strategy for designing and synthesizing high-performance inorganic/organic TE composite films by combining the high power factor of an inorganic filler with the high flexibility of a polymer. © 2020 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry