Abstract:

Low-grade heat (<100 °C) is one of the major forms of energy that is wasted in a great amount during industrial and commercial activities worldwide without proper recovery. Efficient conversion to electricity is a prospective solution to serious energy issues. So far different ideas have been proposed to harvest low-grade waste heat and convert it into electricity, such as solid-state thermoelectric devices and liquid-based thermoelectrochemical cells. Development towards leakage-free electrolyte systems is important in terms of transportation and storage, which can be achieved by the application of a hydrogel-based electrolyte system. By incorporating modified redox couples into the hydrogel matrix, we demonstrate a relatively high thermopower in our ionic thermoelectric hydrogel system. Moreover, the hydrogel matrix is designed to be tough and stretchable, which is a promising candidate for the design of wearable devices.