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Abstract In this work, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/PEDOT:PSS coated Te nanorod (PC-Te) composite films were prepared by a simple vacuum assisted filtration method, and H 2 SO 4 treatment was employed to improve the thermoelectric performance of the composite films. The addition of SWCNTs apparently improved the electrical conductivity while reduced the Seebeck coefficient of the composite films, resulting in a reduction of the power factor. After treated with H 2 SO 4 , the electrical conductivity of the composite films was further improved, and the Seebeck coefficient decreased slightly. As a consequence, an optimized power factor of 104 μW/mK2 (corresponding to the electrical conductivity of 332 S/cm and Seebeck coefficient of 56 μV/K, respectively) was obtained for the sample containing 70 wt% SWCNTs at 300 K. A flexible thermoelectric generator prototype was fabricated to demonstrate the output properties. The open circuit voltage and maximum output power delivered from the prototype were 5.6 mV and 53.6 nW, respectively, at a temperature difference of 44 K. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • SWCNT/PEDOT:PSS coated Te nanorod composite films were prepared. • Electrical conductivity of the films increased with the addition of SWCNT. • Sulfuric acid treatment improved the thermoelectric performance of the composite films. • An optimized power factor of 104 μW/mK2 was obtained at 300 K. • A flexible thermoelectric power generator prototype was fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) are gaining increasing interest due to their combined advantages of polymer and inorganic ceramic. "Polymer-in-Ceramic" (PIC) system containing a large portion of ceramic fillers (higher than 50 wt%), possesses superior safety, electrochemical and mechanical properties, which render it a promising strategy for mass production of inorganic ceramic electrolytes. However, the poor organic-inorganic interface compatibility between polymer and ceramic leads to severe agglomeration of ceramic fillers within the polymer electrolyte, resulting in cracks in the membrane that impedes the transportation of lithium ions. Thus, two-dimensional (2D) g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets are introduced into the PIC-type electrolyte as a bridge between the organic and inorganic components to improve the homogeneity of the electrolyte membrane and build an effective transportation network. In this work, a PIC type g-C 3 N 4 / Li 1.3 Al 0.3 Ti 1.7 (PO 4) 3 (LATP)/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) electrolyte membrane with a thickness of 35.2 µm is prepared via a simple solution-casing method and delivers satisfactory all-around properties (a high conductivity of 5.9 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 ℃, a high lithium-ion transference number of 0.63 and superior thermal stability). To further evaluate its practicability, a solid-state lithium battery of LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 |CPEs|Li is assembled and provides good cycling and rate performance at room temperature. This work proves the effectiveness of the 2D g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets in resolving the agglomeration issue and optimizing the electrochemical properties of LATP-based polymer-in-ceramic electrolyte, which provides a universal strategy to modify the PIC-type solid-state electrolytes. [Display omitted] • A flexible PIC-type LATP-based electrolyte modified with 2D g-C 3 N 4 was prepared. • g-C 3 N 4 can reduce the cracks caused by the agglomeration of LATP in a membrane. • An efficient ion transportation network has been constructed in the electrolyte. • The optimal properties of the electrolyte were achieved with 5 wt% g-C 3 N 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important binary IV-VI semiconductor compound, tin selenide (SnSe) has been investigated intensively for a wide range of applications in energy storage and photovoltaic devices, due to its unique electronic and optoelectronic properties. In this work, we successfully synthesized SnSe powders by a simple, rapid and high-yield method called microwave-assisted synthesis for the first time and also measured their electrochemical performances. By rationally controlling the microwave heating time, we found that the 15-min reacted sample exhibited the most outstanding specific capacitance and rate capability (214.3 F/g at 1 A/g and 182.8 F/g at 20 A/g), and excellent cycling stability. The microwave-assisted synthesis method is efficient and rapid for preparing SnSe electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]