Recent progress in thermoelectric materials based on single-wall carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Recent progress in thermoelectric materials based on single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is considered from fundamental and practical points of view. This progress has recently been driven by social requirements in energy harvesting, as well as significant interest in terms of materials preparation and fundamental physical transport properties. The latest thermoelectric properties of SWCNT-based materials have achieved a figure of merit (zT) as high as ca. 0.1, comparable to those of inorganic semiconductors such as silicon. Along with structural control and doping chemistry, several exotic applications including thermal energy harvesting for the Internet of Things (IoT) and invisible sensing are described.