Okano Yutaro, Yamamoto Hisatoshi, Hoshino Koki, Miyake Shugo, Takashiri Masayuki
Department of Materials Science, Tokai University, Hiratsuka 259-1292, Kanagawa, Japan.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Setsunan University, Neyagawa 572-8508, Osaka, Japan.
Materials (Basel). 2025 Jan 4;18(1):188. doi: 10.3390/ma18010188.
Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are significantly attractive for thermoelectric generators (TEGs), which convert thermal energy into electricity via the Seebeck effect. This is because the characteristics of semiconducting SWCNTs are perfectly suited for TEGs as self-contained power sources for sensors on the Internet of Things (IoT). However, the thermoelectric performances of the SWCNTs should be further improved by using the power sources. The ideal SWCNTs have a high electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient while having a low thermal conductivity, but it is challenging to balance everything. In this study, to improve the thermoelectric performance, we combined two types of SWCNTs: one with a high electrical conductivity (Tuball 01RW03, OCSiAl) and the other with a high Seebeck coefficient and low thermal conductivity (ZEONANO SG101, ZEON). The SWCNT inks were prepared by mixing two types of SWCNTs using ultrasonic dispersion while varying the mixing ratios, and -type SWCNT films were prepared using vacuum filtration. The highest dimensionless figure-of-merit of 1.1 × 10 was exhibited at approximately 300 K when the SWCNT film contained the SWCNT 75% of SWCNT (ZEONANO SG101) and 25% of SWCNT (Tuball 01RW03). This simple process will contribute to the prevalent use of SWCNT-TEG as a power source for IoT sensors.
半导体单壁碳纳米管（SWCNT）对热电发电机（TEG）具有显著吸引力，热电发电机通过塞贝克效应将热能转化为电能。这是因为半导体单壁碳纳米管的特性非常适合作为物联网（IoT）传感器的独立电源用于热电发电机。然而，单壁碳纳米管的热电性能应通过使用电源进一步提高。理想的单壁碳纳米管具有高电导率和塞贝克系数，同时具有低热导率，但要平衡所有因素具有挑战性。在本研究中，为了提高热电性能，我们将两种类型的单壁碳纳米管进行了组合：一种具有高电导率（Tuball 01RW03，OCSiAl），另一种具有高塞贝克系数和低热导率（ZEONANO SG101，ZEON）。通过使用超声分散同时改变混合比例来混合两种类型的单壁碳纳米管制备单壁碳纳米管油墨，并使用真空过滤制备n型单壁碳纳米管薄膜。当单壁碳纳米管薄膜包含75%的单壁碳纳米管（ZEONANO SG101）和25%的单壁碳纳米管（Tuball 01RW03）时，在约300 K时展现出最高无量纲品质因数1.1×10 。这个简单的过程将有助于单壁碳纳米管热电发电机作为物联网传感器电源的广泛应用。
