Personal Cooling Fabric Based on Polymeric Thermoelectrics
Abstract
This report documents a 3-year effort (completed in 2012) sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to develop novel polymeric thermoelectric (TE) materials, to develop an understanding of the TE behavior of these materials, and to provide materials from which a personal cooling fabric could be developed. Organic polymers offer a light weight, environmentally friendly, and low cost alternative to the widely used inorganic TE materials. Because of their potential for good electrical conductivity and the discrete nature of their conjugated blocks, a series of poly(phenylenevinylene) (PPV) copolymers was chosen for this work. The TE Figure of Merit for films of these copolymers was found to vary over a wide range. The most promising results were obtained by blending single wall carbon nanotubes into the polymers to increase electrical conductivity. The highest value obtained for the Figure of Merit was approximately 0.01, among the highest observed for any organic thermoelectric materials. Further materials development can be expected to yield second generation TE polymers with improved properties.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 28, 2016
- Accession Number
- ADA637309
Entities
People
- Eugene Wilusz
- Frank E Karasz
- Ljiljana Korugic-karasz
- Patrick S. Taylor
- Paul M Lahti
Organizations
- United States Army Soldier Systems Center