Issue

Vol. 15 (2023)

Ion–Electron Coupling Enables Ionic Thermoelectric Material with New Operation Mode and High Energy Density

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01077-7
Yongjie He
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Shaowei Li
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Rui Chen
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Xu Liu
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
George Omololu Odunmbaku
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Wei Fang
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Xiaoxue Lin
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Zeping Ou
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Qianzhi Gou
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Jiacheng Wang
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Nabonswende Aida Nadege Ouedraogo
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Jing Li
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Meng Li
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Chen Li
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Yujie Zheng
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Shanshan Chen
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Yongli Zhou
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China
Kuan Sun
MOE Key Laboratory of Low‑grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU‑NUS Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Kuan Sun

kuan.sun@cqu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 15 (2023), Article Number: 101

Abstract

Ionic thermoelectrics (i-TE) possesses great potential in powering distributed electronics because it can generate thermopower up to tens of millivolts per Kelvin. However, as ions cannot enter external circuit, the utilization of i-TE is currently based on capacitive charge/discharge, which results in discontinuous working mode and low energy density. Here, we introduce an ion–electron thermoelectric synergistic (IETS) effect by utilizing an ion–electron conductor. Electrons/holes can drift under the electric field generated by thermodiffusion of ions, thus converting the ionic current into electrical current that can pass through the external circuit. Due to the IETS effect, i-TE is able to operate continuously for over 3000 min. Moreover, our i-TE exhibits a thermopower of 32.7 mV K−1 and an energy density of 553.9 J m−2, which is more than 6.9 times of the highest reported value. Consequently, direct powering of electronics is achieved with i-TE. This work provides a novel strategy for the design of high-performance i-TE materials.


Highlights:


1 An ion–electron coupled thermoelectric material was successfully prepared, which theoretically proved the ion–electron thermoelectric synergy effect and this material can work for a long time, which promoted low-grade thermal energy conversion.
2 In the new operating mode of ion–electron thermoelectric synergy effect, our ionic thermoelectrics have a high Seebeck coefficient of 32.7 mV K−1 and a high energy density of 553.9 J m−2, enabling self-power for electronic components.

Keywords

Ionic thermoelectric Ion–electron coupling Ionic conductivity Thermopower
He, Yongjie, Shaowei Li, Rui Chen, Xu Liu, George Omololu Odunmbaku, Wei Fang, Xiaoxue Lin, Zeping Ou, Qianzhi Gou, Jiacheng Wang, Nabonswende Aida Nadege Ouedraogo, Jing Li, Meng Li, Chen Li, Yujie Zheng, Shanshan Chen, Yongli Zhou, and Kuan Sun. 2023. “Ion–Electron Coupling Enables Ionic Thermoelectric Material With New Operation Mode and High Energy Density”. Nano-Micro Letters 15 (April):101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01077-7.
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