Enhanced thermoelectric power of single-wall carbon nanotube film blended with ionic liquid

Abstract

We have investigated the thermoelectric power of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with an ionic liquid (IL). The SWCNT/IL films showed simultaneous increase in electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient compared with the pristine SWCNT. No thermoelectric power was observed for the IL. The X-ray diffraction pattern and impedance diagram showed a unique behavior with the concentration of IL, which implies that the interaction between the SWCNTs and IL enhances the thermoelectric power of the SWCNTs. As a result of the simultaneous increase in these parameters, the power factor exhibited a 10-fold increase.