Organic thermoelectric materials: new opportunities

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to estimate the opportunities of organic materials for thermoelectric applications. Recently in molecular nanowires of conducting polymers the values of ZT ~ 15 were predicted. Still higher values of ZT have been predicted by us. However, these predictions were made in the frame of a strictly one-dimensional physical model. It is absolutely necessary to estimate the contribution of interchain interaction to these predictions. We present the results of thermoelectric properties modeling of tetrathiotetracene-iodide crystals, taking into account the interchain interaction. It is established that in crystals with not very high degree of purity this interaction can be neglected. However, in purer crystals it becomes important. The criteria when this interaction can be neglected, as well as the expected values of electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermoelectric power factor limited by interchain interaction are determined.