Optimization of the thermoelectric properties of poly(nickel-ethylenetetrathiolate) synthesized via potentiostatic deposition

The coordination polymer poly(nickel-ethylenetetrathiolate) (poly(Ni-ett)), formed by nickel(II) and 1,1,2,2-ethenetetrathiolate (ett), is the most promising N-type organic thermoelectric material ever reported; it is synthesized via potentiostatic deposition, and the effect of different applied potentials on the optimal performance of the polymers is investigated. The optimal thermoelectric property of poly(Ni-ett) synthesized at 0.6 V is remarkably greater than that of the polymers synthesized at 1 and 1.6 V, exhibiting a maximum power factor of up to 131.6 μW/mK2 at 360 K. Furthermore, the structure-property correlation of poly(Ni-ett) is also extensively investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed that the larger size of crystalline domains and the higher oxidation state of poly(Ni-ett) synthesized at 0.6 V possibly results in the higher bulk mobility and carrier concentration in the polymer chains, respectively, accounting for the enhanced power factor.

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