Side-chain engineering of conjugated molecules for n-type organic thermoelectrics
Hangyang Li, Gang Ye, Yazhuo Kuang, Mingyu Ma, Shuyan Shao, Jian Liu
Abstract
The growing need for renewable energy sources has led to increased interest in organic thermoelectric (OTE) materials, which are mechanically flexible, cost-effective to process, and capable of converting thermal energy into electricity. Although p-type OTEs have shown promising efficiency, the development of n-type OTEs has not kept pace with their p-type counterparts in terms of performance, highlighting the need for additional research and innovation. This review outlines the basic principles and molecular design strategies for n-type OTEs. It then examines side-chain engineering in-depth, underscoring the complementary effects of backbone and side-chain modifications. Lastly, it discusses the challenges and future directions in developing n-type OTEs to inform the design strategies for these materials.