A survey of organic thermoelectric materials toward flexible devices for energy harvesting

Abstract

When thermoelectric power generation is performed under the condition of a low energy density, organic materials have the advantage of producing flexible and large area devices. They also have the advantage of the easy design of thinner devices by applying their 1-2 order smaller thermal conductivities than those of inorganic materials. In this article, the author presents an overview of the broad survey results of thermoelectric properties of organic and organic/inorganic composite materials using an original instrument. Some examples where the Seebeck effects by unusual mechanisms emerged are also introduced.