ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the thermoelectric properties of conjugated polymers with an emphasis on the role of morphology on their behavior. Because of the difficulty of measuring the thermal properties of polymers, it reviews the state of the thermoelectric power factor of polymers and explains the relevant issues related to the thermal conductivity. Thermoelectric materials can generate an electric potential in response to a thermal gradient, which is known as the Seebeck effect, or generate a thermal gradient in response to an applied potential, known as the Peltier effect. Organic thermoelectric materials, including polymers, have the potential to expand the use of thermoelectric devices. Polyaniline can be prepared with different proportions of its backbone nitrogens oxidized, leading to either insulating or conductive behavior. Poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymers have emerged as promising materials for thermoelectric energy conversion. PEDOT-based systems have demonstrated some of the highest thermoelectric performances for polymers with variation in performance depending on the processing methods.
