Heat-to-electricity conversion through thermoelectric effects are fascinating phenomena with many potential technological applications from waste heat energy harvesting, IR camera, e-skin to interactive building. We give an overview of those phenomena in electronic or ionic conducting polymers.

In the first part, we summarize our finding on the electronic thermoelectric properties of the p-type polymer called poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) [1]. PEDOT thermoelectric aerogels are presented with their applications in dual pressure and temperature sensors [2]. We then focus on the recent advances made in the lab regarding n-type conducting polymers [3].

In the second part, we explore the ionic thermoelectric effects in both mixed ionic electronic polymer conductors [4]. This phenomenon is used to create materials orthogonal sensitive to humidity, temperature and pressure [5].

In a third part, we investigate on ionic polymer conductors. Giant Seebeck effects are found with coefficients that reache 10 mV/K. This effect enables charging a supercapacitor for energy harvesting of intermittent heat sources; but also switching a transistor, thus creating a smart pixel for high temperature sensitivity [6]. The concept of non-aqueous ionic thermoelectric polymers is further explored to obtain both negative and positive ionic Seebeck coefficient and build the first ionic thermopiles [7]. 

References:
[1] Nature Materials 10, 429 (2011), Nature Materials 13, 190 (2014), Adv. Mater. 27, 2101-6 (2015); JACS 134, 16456 (2012), Adv. Elect. Mater 4, 1700496 (2018).
[2] Adv. Funct. Mater. 27, 1703549 (2017).
[3] Adv. Mater. 30, 1801898 (2018); Adv. Mater. 28, 10764, (2016)
[4] Adv. Ener. Mater. 5, 1500044, (2015); Adv. Funct. Mater, 26, 6288 (2016).
[5] Adv. Sci. 2019, 1802128.
[6] Adv. Elect. Mater. 3, 1700013 (2017); Energy Environ. Sci., 2016,9, 1450; Nature Comm., 8, 14214 (2017).
[7] Nature Comm. 10, 1093 (2019).