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Flexible organic photo-thermogalvanic cell for low power applications

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Abstract

In this paper, we report an organic semiconductor based flexible thermogalvanic cell for conversion of heat and light energy into electric power. This thermogalvanic cell has been fabricated using a eco-friendly, affordable and commercially available organic material known as an orange dye (C17H17N5O2), which is soluble in water. The thermogalvanic cell consists of a Carbon/aqueous solution of orange dye/Carbon structure. The cell contains a flexible polymer tube casing, filled with a 5 wt% organic semiconductor orange dye aqueous solution and carbon-electrodes. Gradient of temperature (ΔT) up to 28 K was created by low power electric heater and up to 6 K by illumination. It was found that at ΔT = 8 K, the open-circuit voltage (V oc ), short-circuit current (I sc ) and Seebeck coefficient were in the range of −(31–32) mV, −(2.6–2.7) µA and −(3.8–3.9) mV/K, respectively. The thermogalvanic cell holds the promise of potential use in low-power applications (e.g. medical) and temperature gradient measurement.

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Acknowledgments

This publication was made possible by PDRA Grant No. PDRA1-0117-14109 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.

Author contributions

K.K., N.F. and Z.A. designed the experiment. Z.A. analyzed the experimental data and wrote the manuscript text. K.K. and F.T. reviewed the manuscript content. All authors participated in the discussion and commented on the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar

    Zubair Ahmad & Farid Touati

  2. Ghulam Ishak Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi, KPK, 23640, Pakistan

    Khasan S. Karimov & Noshin Fatima

  3. Center for Innovative Development of Science and New Technologies, Academy of Sciences, 33 Rudaki Ave., 734025, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

    Khasan S. Karimov

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  1. Zubair Ahmad
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  2. Khasan S. Karimov
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  3. Noshin Fatima
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  4. Farid Touati
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Correspondence to Zubair Ahmad.

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Ahmad, Z., Karimov, K.S., Fatima, N. et al. Flexible organic photo-thermogalvanic cell for low power applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 27, 2442–2447 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-4043-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-4043-7

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