Ionic liquid-modified thermoelectric and conductive composites for fabricating all fluorine rubber-based flexible generators
Journal
Polymer
Journal Volume
355
Start Page
130011
ISSN
00323861
Date Issued
2026-05-18
Author(s)
Abstract
In this study, we developed a flexible thermoelectric composite and a highly conductive elastomer, both based on fluorine rubber, for fabrication of stretchable thermoelectric generators (TEGs). The flexible thermoelectric composite, primarily comprising fluorine rubber and single-walled carbon nanotubes, demonstrates an elongation at break exceeding 70% strain and achieves a power factor up to 160 μW m−1 K−2. The conductive elastomer, prepared by dispersing silver nanowires in fluorine rubber, exhibits a conductivity as high as 10,357 S cm−1 and maintains low resistance even at 80% strain. The enhanced performances of both materials are attributed to the incorporation of suitable ionic liquid. The effects of the ionic liquids and the mechanisms were systematically investigated. Six thermoelectric composite films connected in series via the conductive elastomers were assembled onto a crosslinked fluorine rubber substrate, resulting in an all-fluorine rubber TEG with highly compatible interfaces. This device delivers a power output of 86 μW cm−2 at temperature difference of 18 K and retains 88% of its power output after 1,000 bending cycles and 70% after 300 stretching cycles.
Subjects
Flexible thermoelectric generator
Fluorine rubber
Ionic liquid
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Type
journal article