Conducting polymer electrodes in electrochemical cells for waste heat harvesting

Abstract

We show that conducting polymer Poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)/poly (styrene sulfonate) film could be an ideal electrode in thermo-electrochemical cells, which shows a low charge transfer resistance. Using ferricyanide/ferrocyanide as an electrolyte, the Poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)/poly (styrene sulfonate) based thermo-electrochemical cell could be used to drive light-emitting diodes array. The conducting polymers also show the advantage of hybrid insoluble redox couples such as Prussian blue analog materials, making it easy to measure the temperature-dependent redox potential. By a combination of proper redox couples, the thermally regenerative electrochemical cells could realize. The power could generate during the environmental temperature change.