Thermoelectric apparatus and applications thereof

1. A thermoelectric apparatus comprising:

a plurality of p-type layers directly contacting a plurality of n-type layers providing a plurality of pn junctions; and

insulating layers at least partially disposed between the p-type layers and the n-type layers, the p-type layers comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles and the n-type layers comprising a plurality of n-doped carbon nanoparticles,

wherein the carbon nanoparticles of the p-type layers or the n-doped carbon nanoparticles of the n-type layers are disposed in a polymeric matrix and the apparatus has a ZT of at least 0.5.

2. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , where the carbon nanoparticles of the p-type layers comprise single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerenes or mixtures thereof.

3. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles of the p-type layers comprise boron.

4. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the boron is present in the carbon nanoparticles in an amount ranging from about 0.1 weight percent to about 30 weight percent.

5. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the n-doped carbon nanoparticles comprise single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, fullerenes or mixtures thereof.

6. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the n-doped carbon nanoparticles comprise nitrogen.

7. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles of the p-type layers are disposed in a polymeric matrix and the n-doped carbon nanoparticles of the n-type layers are disposed in a polymeric matrix.

8. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles of the p-type layers are disposed in a polymeric matrix comprising a fluoropolymer.

9. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride or mixtures thereof.

10. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the n-doped carbon nanoparticles of the n-type layers are disposed in a polymeric matrix comprising a fluoropolymer.

11. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride or mixtures thereof.

12. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the polymeric matrix of the p-type layers comprises a fluoropolymer, polyacrylic, polyolefin, conjugated polymer or mixtures thereof and wherein the polymeric matrix of the n-type layers comprises a fluoropolymer, polyacrylic, polyolefin, conjugated polymer or mixtures thereof.

13. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the polymeric matrix of the p-type layers comprises a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride and mixtures thereof and wherein the polymeric matrix of the n-type layers comprises a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride and mixtures thereof.

14. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles are present in the polymeric matrix in an amount ranging from about 5 weight percent to about 30 weight percent.

15. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the carbon nanoparticles comprise single walled nanotubes and a Seebeck coefficient of an individual p-type layer is inversely proportional to the nanotube loading of the p-type layer.

16. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 8 , wherein an individual p-type layer has a Seebeck coefficient of at least 30 μV/K at a temperature of 290° K.

17. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the p-type layers have an individual thickness of 5 nm to 50 μm.

18. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an individual n-type layer has a Seebeck coefficient of −5 μV/K to −35 μV/K at a temperature of 290° K.

19. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the n-type layers have an individual thickness of 5 nm to 50 μm.

20. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 7 , wherein n-dopant is provided on surfaces of the n-doped carbon nanoparticles.

21. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the insulating layers comprise electrically insulating polymeric material.

22. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the electrically insulating polymeric material comprises a polyolefin, polyacrylic or fluoropolymer or mixtures thereof.

23. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is flexible.

24. The thermoelectric electric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the p-type layers and n-type layers have the form of fabric.

25. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric apparatus is flexible for application of the thermoelectric apparatus to non-planar substrates.

26. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the non-planar substrates are curved.

27. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 having a Seebeck coefficient of at least 25 μV/K at a temperature of 290° K.

28. The thermoelectric apparatus of claim 1 having a Seebeck coefficient from 25 μV/K to 250 μV/K at a temperature of 290° K.

29. A thermoelectric apparatus comprising:

an alternating stack of p-type layers and n-type layers, the p-type layers comprising a plurality of carbon nanoparticles and the n-type layers comprising a plurality of n-doped carbon nanoparticles, and the carbon nanoparticles of the p-type layers or the n-doped carbon nanoparticles of the n-type layers are disposed in a polymeric matrix;

a plurality of pn junctions positioned only on opposite sides of the apparatus, the pn junctions connecting the p-type layers with the n-type layers; and

insulating layers at least partially disposed between the p-type layers and the n-type layers,

wherein each n-type layer extends within a different plane than each p-type layer; and

wherein the apparatus has a ZT of at least 0.5.