Free-standing polyaniline-reduced graphene oxide (PANI-rGO) thermoelectric films via electrochemical synthesis

Abstract Heat-based energy harvesting is gaining attention as an alternative energy source. Thermoelectric materials (TEs) generate voltages in response to a thermal gradient and conductive polymer-carbon composites have properties that make them favorable for these applications. Polyaniline-reduced graphene oxide (PANi-GO) thermoelectric thin films were fabricated by the electropolymerization of PANi with simultaneous co-deposition of graphene onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). Poly(butyl acrylate) was spin-coated onto these films as backing support to make a stable free-standing film of PANi-rGO. The free-standing film was formed upon GO reduction which resulted in simultaneous delamination from the FTO electrode. Compositional and morphological data were obtained via Raman microspectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy and the TE properties were measured in terms of the Seebeck coefficient and conductivities from Hall effect measurements. The Seebeck coefficients of the films measured between 6.6 μV K −1 to 13.4 μV K −1 , whereas Hall effect conductivities ranged from 0.483 to 2.68 S cm −1 . The highest film power factor measured was 0.025 μW m −1 K −2 . Varying the GO content used in the electropolymerized film did not have a significant effect on the overall TE property though varying the reduction cycle number and voltage resulted in significant changes in the film Seebeck coefficients and conductivities.