Measurement System to Determine the Seebeck Coefficient and Electrical Conductivity of Thin Films

Author(s)

Dalkiranis, Gustavo G. ; Bocchi, Joao H. C. ; Torres, Bruno Bassi Millan ; Lopeandia, Aitor F. ; Oliveira Jr, Osvaldo N. ; Faria, Gregorio C.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT; v. 74, p. 6-pg., 2025-01-01.

Abstract

Thermoelectric (TE) materials are promising for energy-generating devices, and their design depends on a fast, precise determination of their Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. Herein, a low-cost setup was developed to determine the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of thin films, allowing the calculation of the power factor (PF) (PF=S-2 sigma) . The system was validated by measuring the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), a widely used material in organic electronics and TE generators. The results demonstrate the high resolution of our system, with obtained values of 0.1 mu V/K for Seebeck coefficient, 0.1 S/cm for electrical conductivity, and 0.1 mu W/K-2 for PF. A detailed description of the fabrication of the measurement setup is provided, with the aim of making thermoelectricity accessible to any research laboratory, even in places with limited budgets. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/22214-6 - Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis
• Grantee: Osvaldo Novais de Oliveira Junior
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/26375-7 - Study of the thermoelectric properties of NDI-2Tz polymer and its application on a microthermoelectric generator
• Grantee: Gustavo Gonçalves Dalkiranis Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral