THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS AND RELATED COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS
A thermoelectric material includes a polymer matrix and a plurality of partially coated particles dispersed within the polymer matrix. Each particle of the plurality has a discontinuous coating of metal on a carbon-based material. A method includes dispersing functionalized particles comprising a carbon-based material in a solvent; providing a metal salt in the solvent; and forming a plurality of distinct metal volumes on a surface of the functionalized particles to form partially coated particles. The distinct metal volumes are thermally insulated from other volumes of the plurality. A composition of matter includes a discontinuous coating of metal on a surface of a carbon-based material. The carbon-based material is selected from the group consisting of graphene oxide and functionalized carbon nanotubes.
1 . A method, comprising:
dispersing functionalized particles comprising a carbon-based material in a solvent;
providing a metal salt in the solvent; and
forming a plurality of distinct metal volumes on a surface of the functionalized particles to form partially coated particles, the distinct metal volumes thermally insulated from other volumes of the plurality.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising dispersing the partially coated particles within a polymer.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising oxidizing a carbon-based material to form the functionalized particles.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising reacting a metal of the metal salt with a surface of the functionalized particles.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising reducing a metal of the metal salt on the surface of the functionalized particles.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the solvent from the partially coated particles after forming the plurality of distinct metal volumes on the surface of the functionalized particles.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein dispersing functionalized particles in a solvent comprises subjecting the functionalized particles and the solvent to ultrasonic energy.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a powder comprising the partially coated particles.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functionalized particles comprise functional groups on the carbon-based material, wherein the metal salt comprises cations, and wherein the method further comprises adsorbing the cations to the functional groups.
10 . A composition of matter, comprising:
a discontinuous coating of metal on a surface of a carbon-based material selected from the group consisting of graphene oxide and functionalized carbon nanotubes.
11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the discontinuous coating comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper, and silver.
12 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the discontinuous coating comprises a plurality of thermally insulated islands of metal over the surface.
13 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the composition exhibits a thermal conductivity of less than 10 −2 mW/cm·K.
14 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the composition exhibits an electrical conductivity of at least 0.005 S/cm.
15 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the composition exhibits a Seebeck coefficient of at least 1000 μV/K.