Novel hybrid nanocomposite based on Poly(vinyl alcohol)/ carbon quantum dots/fullerene (PVA/CQDs/C60) for thermoelectric power applications

In this literature, hybrid polyvinyl alcohol/carbon quantum dots/fullerene (PVA/CQDs/C-60) nanocomposite films were fabricated by using casting technique for the first time. Microwave synthesized carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and Fullerene (C-60) were synergistically incorporated in poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix. Addition of the hybrid CQDs/C-60 nanoparticles enhances the mechanical, thermal and thermo-mechanical parameters of the nanocomposite. CQDs nanoparticles were used here to enhance the electrical conductivity (sigma(electrical)), while C-60 was used to improve the Seebeck coefficient (S-seebeck), obstruct the thermal conductivity (K-thermal) and produce synergistic influence to improve the thermoelectric behaviour. With doping of the hybrid (CQDs/C-60) nanoparticles into (PVA/CQDs/C-60) nanocomposite, the electrical conductivity (sigma(electrical)) increased from (100-690 S/cm), and thermal conductivity (K-thermal) changed from (0.35-0.64 W/m K-2), while the Seebeck coefficient (S-seebeck) improved by 2 order. In addition, the nanocomposite demonstrated a power factor (PF) as high as (2.1 x 10(-4) W/m K-2) and a high figure of merit (ZT) (0.16) at a ratio (CQDs:C-60 =15:5) at 300 K. Finally, these nanocomposites have a potential prospective application in thermoelectric devices thanks to their promising thermoelectric properties and easy scaling up.