Highly improved thermoelectric performances of PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT composites by solvent treatment.

Composites of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) were prepared by mixing aqueous dispersions of PEDOT:PSS and SWCNT at different weight ratios. By being soaked with DMSO for 2 min at room temperature, the PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT composite with an optimized SWCNT weight ratio of 74 wt% exhibited a high electric conductivity of 3800 S cm −1 and a reasonable Seebeck coefficient of 28 μV K −1 , leading to a promising power factor of 300 μW m −1 K −2 and a hopeful ZT value of 0.13. Possible reasons for the highly improved properties are carefully discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]