Thermoelectric Properties of PEDOT:PSS

Nowadays, organic thermoelectric (TE) materials have attracted considerable attention due to their unique merits, e.g., light-weight, high mechanical flexibility, nontoxicity, easy availability, and intrinsically low thermal conductivity. Among the organic/polymer TE materials reported so far, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenensulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is extensively investigated because it is water-processable, thermally stable, and can be highly conductive. Over the past few years, the TE properties of the PEDOT-based TE materials are continuously improved. With rational design, some PEDOT:PSS-based materials have achieved high ZT values comparable to the conventional inorganic TE materials like bismuth telluride at room temperature. This paper reviews the recent breakthroughs for PEDOT:PSS-based TE polymers and composites. The strategies for achieving high-performance PEDOT:PSS-based TE materials and the corresponding underlying mechanism are specifically discussed. The TE devices fabricated by the PEDOT:PSS-based TE materials are also presented, in terms of their fabrication/assembly technique, device configuration and device performance. With all the exciting progress made in the PEDOT:PSS-based TE materials, the further development and practical applications of the high-efficient organic TE materials as flexible TE module devices and wearable electronics can be greatly anticipated.