Irregular hierarchical-porous polymer for high-performance soft thermoelectrics
Summary
Polymer thermoelectrics offer an inherently soft, cost-effective, and lightweight solution to convert ubiquitous heat sources into sustainable electricity. However, their realistic applications are hindered by insufficient performance and the scaling complexity. We introduce irregular hierarchical-porous thermoelectric polymers, featuring irregularly shaped and distributed pores with diameters that range from less than 10 nanometers to micrometers. This porous structure not only enhances m
Content
# Irregular hierarchical-porous polymer for high-performance soft thermoelectrics
*Published: 2026 Mar 5*
Polymer thermoelectrics offer an inherently soft, cost-effective, and
lightweight solution to convert ubiquitous heat sources into sustainable
electricity. However, their realistic applications are hindered by insufficient
performance and the scaling complexity. We introduce irregular
hierarchical-porous thermoelectric polymers, featuring irregularly shaped and
distributed pores with diameters that range from less than 10 nanometers to
micrometers. This porous structure not only enhances multiple phonon-like
scattering, achieving a 72% reduction in lattice thermal conductivity, but also
unexpectedly improves charge transport through nanoconfinement-enhanced
crystallization. The optimized film yields a benchmark figure-of-merit zT of
1.64 at 343 kelvin. Moreover, this method is compatible with easy-to-process
spray-coating techniques.
DOI: 10.1126/science.adx9237