Work

Electrochemical Synthesis of Polypyrrole/Cu2−xSe Composites for Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Copper selenide compounds, owing to their excellent electrical transport properties and low thermal conductivity, are promising thermoelectric materials, but their poor mechanical flexibility limits practical applications in flexible devices. Herein, a simple all-electrochemical strategy was developed to fabricate polypyrrole (PPy)/Cu2−xSe composite thermoelectric films through sequential electropolymerization of pyrrole and electrodeposition of Cu2−xSe. By optimizing the deposition potential of Cu2−xSe and pyrrole polymerization time, the thermoelectric performance of the composite films was significantly enhanced. The optimized PPy/Cu2−xSe composite film achieved a maximum power factor of 174.05 ± 9.87 μW m−1 K−2, nearly 300 times higher than that of pristine PPy, while maintaining a low thermal conductivity of 0.30 W m−1 K−1. The composite film also exhibited excellent flexibility, retaining 94.77% of its initial power factor after 1000 bending cycles. A flexible thermoelectric device assembled from the composite films delivered a maximum output power of 240.5 nW at ΔT = 50 K. This work provides an effective strategy for developing Cu2−xSe-based flexible thermoelectric composites.

Source: Materials

DOI: 10.3390/ma19163496

Authors: Yunfei Cai, Caiyan Gao, Cun-Yue Guo

Institutions: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Devices

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137