One-Dimensional Nanocomposites Based on Polypyrrole-Carbon Nanotubes and Their Thermoelectric Performance

Neazar Baghdadi; M Sh Zoromba; M H Abdel-Aziz; A F Al-Hossainy; M Bassyouni; Numan Salah

doi:10.3390/polym13020278

One-Dimensional Nanocomposites Based on Polypyrrole-Carbon Nanotubes and Their Thermoelectric Performance

Polymers (Basel). 2021 Jan 16;13(2):278. doi: 10.3390/polym13020278.

Authors

Neazar Baghdadi¹, M Sh Zoromba^{2

3}, M H Abdel-Aziz^{2

4}, A F Al-Hossainy^{5

6}, M Bassyouni^{7

8}, Numan Salah¹

Affiliations

¹ Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port-Said 42521, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, Egypt.
⁵ Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Northern Border University, Arar 1321, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, New Valley University, Al-Wadi Al-Gadid, Al-Kharga 72511, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University, Port Fouad 42511, Egypt.
⁸ Materials Science Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October, Giza 12578, Egypt.

Abstract

Conducting polymers have attracted significant attention due to their easy fabrication, morphology modification, and their electrical properties. Amongst them, polypyrrole (PPy) has attractive thermoelectric (TE) properties. Engineering of this polymer in one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured form is found to enhance its TE performance. This was achieved in the present work by using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a core template to direct the self-assembly of PPy and also to further enhance its TE performance. The growth of PPy on the sidewalls of MWCNTs was performed in an acidic medium based oxidative in situ polymerization. Various concentrations of MWCNTs within the range 1.1-14.6 wt.% were used to form the MWCNTs/PPy nanocomposites in 1D core-shell structures. The morphology and microstructure results of the produced nanocomposite samples showed that this MWCNTs were successfully coated by thick and thin layers of PPy. At low concentrations of MWCNTs, thick layers of PPy are formed. While at high concentrations thin layers are coated. The formed 1D nanocomposites have enhanced TE performance, particularly those containing higher contents of MWCNTs. The power factor and figure of merit values for the formed 1D nanocomposites recorded around 0.77 µV/mK² and 1 × 10^-3 at room temperature (RT), respectively. This enhancement was attributed to the perfect coating and good interaction between PPy and MWCNT through π-π stacking between the polymer chains and these nanotubes. These results might be useful for developing future TE materials and devices.

Keywords: carbon nanotubes; conducting polymers; one-dimensional nanocomposites; polypyrrole; thermoelectric properties.

Grants and funding

KCR-KFL-04-20/King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia