Provided herein is a method for forming a composite. The method can include mixing a plurality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles in a non-polar medium. At least some of the plurality of CNTs form entangled CNTs. The method also includes attaching first ones of the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles to exposed surfaces of the entangled CNTs; disentangling the entangled CNTs to form a plurality of dispersed CNTs; and aligning the plurality of dispersed CNTs. The disentangling of the entangled CNTs to form a plurality of dispersed CNTs includes exposing the plurality of magnetic nanoparticles and the plurality of entangled CNTs to electromagnetic energy.

Flexible thermoelectric devices including a flexible heat management layer on the hot side thereof, and methods of making and using the same, are provided. The flexible heat management layer includes a water harvesting material configured to absorb water or moisture and dissipate heat by evaporation of the absorbed water or moisture. In some cases, the water harvesting material includes a mixture of a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) material and a metal-organic framework (MOF) material.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric conversion element which includes a p-type thermoelectric conversion layer and an n-type thermoelectric conversion layer, has excellent power generation capacity and durability, and inhibits a variation in power generation capacity between lots. The thermoelectric conversion element of the present invention is a thermoelectric conversion element having a p-type thermoelectric conversion layer and an n-type thermoelectric conversion layer electrically connected to the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer, in which the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer contains a nanocarbon material and at least one kind of component selected from the group consisting of an onium salt and an inorganic salt, the n-type thermoelectric conversion layer contains a nanocarbon material and an onium salt, and a difference between an ionization potential of the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer and an ionization potential of the n-type thermoelectric conversion layer is equal to or smaller than 0.15 eV.

Provided is an easy-to-process thermoelectric conversion device whose shape can be freely changed. The device is provided containing electrodes and an ionic solid, wherein the ionic solid has: an anionic heterometal complex aggregated to form a crystal lattice; and a cationic species present in interstices of the crystal lattice, and wherein the anionic heterometal complex includes: a metal M1 selected from the group consisting of the elements of Groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table and Cr and Mn; a metal M2 selected from the group consisting of the elements of Groups 11 and 12 of the Periodic Table; and a ligand.

Disclosed are an organic thermoelectric material and a thermoelectric generator including the same. More particularly, the thermoelectric generator includes an ionically conductive active layer containing a polyanion including an anionic group and a counter cation in a repeat unit thereof; a conductive polymer; and a polyvalent crosslinking agent as a single molecule including a plurality of acid functional groups. First and second electrodes are disposed to be connected to the ionically conductive active layer.

An integrated flexible thermoelectric device includes p-type carbon nanoparticle regions and n-type carbon nanoparticle regions which are alternately and continuously connected to each other. In particular, the p-type carbon nanoparticle regions and the n-type carbon nanoparticle regions are formed on the one carbon nanoparticle paper.

The present invention provides a conversion material including a first phase providing a matrix and a second phase comprising a nanoscale or microscale material providing electron mobility. The conversion material converts heat from a single macroscopic reservoir into voltage.

A thermoelectric element according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first metal substrate; a first resin layer disposed on the first metal substrate and in direct contact with the first metal substrate; a plurality of first electrodes disposed on the first resin layer; a plurality of thermoelectric legs disposed on the plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of second electrodes disposed on the plurality of thermoelectric legs; a second resin layer disposed on the plurality of second electrodes; and a second metal substrate disposed on the second resin layer, wherein the first resin layer comprises a polymeric resin and an inorganic filler and at least a part of side surfaces of the plurality of first electrodes are embedded in the first resin layer.

An ultra-thin thermoelectric element having a thermoelectric effect includes an ultra-thin substrate, a thermal insulator formed on part of the substrate, and a plurality of active layers formed from a thermoelectric material over the substrate and the thermal insulator, wherein each of the plurality of active layers is connected by an electrode, and an electric current flows due to a temperature difference between the substrate and the thermal insulator.

A thermoelectric element to convert thermal energy into electrical energy includes a first electrode part, a second electrode part having a different work function than the first electrode part and arranged at a distance from the first electrode part, on a same surface of a substrate as the first electrode part, and a middle part provided between the first electrode part and the second electrode part.