Enhanced Power Output in Polymer Thermoelectric Devices through Thermal and Electrical Impedance Matching

Maximizing the power outputs of devices using benchmark materials is critical for the application of organic thermoelectrics. We report the fabrication of thermoelectric devices using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) with a Ni foil and polyimide film. The shape of the Ni foil was designed to match the thermal and electrical resistance of the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) film. Due to the low thermal conductivity of the organic materials, a stable temperature difference of 50 K was achieved under natural cooling conditions without a heat sink at 100 °C. As a result, the device exhibited a power density of 40 μW/cm2, nearly double that of the unoptimized device.