Advances in n-Type Organic Thermoelectric Materials and Devices

Thermoelectric materials have attracted more attention in recent years, which can be corroborated by the increasing scientific publications. Moreover, the optimistic prediction for the thermoelectric industry proves that the practicability of thermoelectric technology is further acknowledged. Recently, benefitting from the rapid development of organic electronics, the research of organic thermoelectric (OTE) materials is receiving particular interest. Cooperation and complementation between organic and inorganic thermoelectric materials could promote the broader application of thermoelectric effect. To realize high conversion efficiency of thermoelectric device, high-performance p- and n-type OTE materials are both necessary. However, the instability of most n-type organic materials in air impedes their application for high-performance thermoelectric conversion. Therefore, more efforts should be made to promote relevant research and applications. Herein, the research progress on OTE materials (n-type) and devices is reviewed to show readers some details of n-type OTE research and give some guidelines for further explorations.