Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/Polyaniline Hybrid Nanocomposites

Hybrid nanocomposites containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ordered polyaniline (PANI) have been prepared through an in situ polymerization reaction using a single-walled nanotube (SWNT) as template and aniline as reactant. TEM, SEM, XRD, and Raman analyses show that the polyaniline grew along the surface of CNTs forming an ordered chain structure during the SWNT-directed polymerization process. The SWNT/PANI nanocomposites show both higher electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient as compared to pure PANI, which could be attributed to the enhanced carrier mobility in the ordered chain structures of the PANI. The maximum electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of composites reach 1.25 x 10(4) S…