Silver nanowire-assisted photothermoelectric enhancement in Ag nanowire/PEDOT:PSS composite films

Photothermoelectric (PTE) conversion technology has attracted significant attention for the application of high-performance photodetectors and wearable energy devices. As this technology advances, there is a growing need for lightweight, flexible, and multifunctional materials. Here, an organic–inorganic composite film comprising poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and silver nanowires (Ag NWs) has been developed to enhance light absorption and improve PTE energy conversion. Under 100 mW cm−2 illumination, the optimized Ag NWs/PEDOT:PSS composite film generates a maximum temperature difference of 22 °C compared to 13 °C for the PEDOT:PSS film, with an increased output voltage of 450 μV compared to 248 μV. This is attributed to enhanced light absorption and photothermal conversion caused by localized surface plasmon resonance effects of Ag NWs. Furthermore, the measured PTE Seebeck coefficient SPTE (22.0 μV K−1) is greater than the value of thermoelectric Seebeck coefficient STE (19.5 μV K−1), indicating that the incorporation of Ag NWs can also improve the PTE performance through plasmonic hot carrier transport at the interface between Ag NWs and PEDOT:PSS polymer materials. Therefore, this work demonstrates an approach to developing flexible PTE film devices and offers potential for applications in the field of energy-efficient wearables.