Recent Progress in Polymer Gel‐Based Ionic Thermoelectric Devices: Materials, Methods, and Perspectives
Journal
Macromolecular Rapid Communications
ISSN
1022-1336
1521-3927
Date Issued
2025-04
Author(s)
Abstract
Polymer gel-based ionic thermoelectric (i-TE) devices, including thermally chargeable capacitors and thermogalvanic cells, represent an innovative approach to sustainable energy harvesting by converting waste heat into electricity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in gel-based i-TE materials, focusing on their ionic Seebeck coefficients, the mechanisms underlying the thermodiffusion and thermogalvanic effects, and the various strategies employed to enhance their performance. Gel-based i-TE materials show great promise due to their flexibility, low cost, and suitability for flexible and wearable devices. However, challenges such as improving the ionic conductivity and stability of redox couples remain. Future directions include enhancing the efficiency of ionic-electronic coupling and developing more robust electrode materials to optimize the energy conversion efficiency in real-world applications.
Subjects
gels
Seebeck coefficient
thermally chargeable capacitors
thermoelectric
thermogalvanic cells
SDGs
Publisher
Wiley
Type
review