In the search for cleaner energy sources, the improvement of the efficiency of the actual ones appears as a primary objective. In this way, thermoelectric materials, which are able to convert wasted heat into electricity, are reveal as an interesting way to improve efficiency of car engines, for example. Cost-effective energy harvesting from thermoelectric devices requires materials with high electrical conductivities and Seebeck coefficient, but low thermal conductivity. Conductive polymers can fulfil these conditions if they are doped appropriately. One of the most promising polymers is Polyaniline. In this work, the thermal conductivity of the polyaniline and mixtures of polyaniline with nanoclays has been studied, using a new experimental set-up developed in the lab. The novel system is based on the steady-state method and it is used to obtain the thermal diffusivity of the polymers and the nanocomposites.

Peer Reviewed