In-situ fabrication and enhanced thermoelectric properties of carbon nanotubes filled poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) composites

•An in-situ polymerization method for MWCNT/PEDOT composite was reported.•Both σ and α could be simultaneously enhanced with increasing the MWCNT content.•The highest power factor of the MWCNT/PEDOT composite reached 25.9 μW m−1 K−2.

In this paper, we present a facile route to manufacture multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) filled poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanocomposites. The composite powders have been prepared by an in-situ polymerization method in acetonitrile and the polymer has been doped by p-toluenesulfonic acid. The component and morphology of the powders have been characterized by infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The thermoelectric properties of the powders after being cold pressed have been measured at room temperature. Within the studied MWCNT content range (0 to 26.5 wt%), both the electrical conductivities and Seebeck coefficients increase with the MWCNT content. The MWCNT/PEDOT sample with 26.5 wt% MWCNT has the highest power factor of 25.9 μW m−1 K−2 among the samples studied.

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