Flexible thermoelectric generators are an emerging trend in the field of waste heat conversion, as well as wearable and autonomous devices. However, the energy conversion efficiency of the state-of-the-art flexible thermoelectric devices is too low for their wide application and commercialization. In this work, n- and p-type multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-thermoelectric material hybrid networks that may become a promising building block for the fabrication of flexible thermoelectric devices are presented. The hybrid networks were fabricated by direct deposition of thermoelectric material (Bi₂Se₃, Sb₂Te₃) on the MWCNT networks using physical vapor deposition technique. Growth mechanisms of Bi₂Se₃ and Sb₂Te₃ on MWCNTs were investigated. The Seebeck coefficient and charge transport properties of MWCNT-Bi₂Se₃ and MWCNT-Sb₂Te₃ hybrid networks were studied as function of MWCNT wt% in the networks. Variable-range hopping models were applied for the interpretation of conductance mechanisms in the hybrid networks. The Seebeck coefficients of the MWCNT-Sb₂Te₃ and MWCNT-Bi₂Se₃ hybrid networks with low MWCNT wt% were found to be comparable with the Seebeck coefficients of pure inorganic Sb₂Te₃ and Bi₂Se₃ thin films. At the same time, flexibility tests of the MWCNT-Sb₂Te₃ and MWCNT-Bi₂Se₃ hybrid networks with MWCNT 50% showed no significant increase in the resistance when they were bent to a radius of 5 mm. This makes hybrid networks, presented in this work, the perspective for applications in flexible thermoelectrics as thermoelectric coatings for flexible substrates and fillers for polymers-based composites.

柔性热电发电机是废热转化以及可穿戴和自主设备领域的新兴趋势。然而，对于它们的广泛应用和商业化而言，现有技术的柔性热电装置的能量转换效率太低。在这项工作中，提出了n型和p型多壁碳纳米管（MWCNT）-热电材料混合网络，这些网络可能成为制造柔性热电设备的有希望的基础。通过使用物理气相沉积技术将热电材料（Bi ₂ Se ₃，Sb ₂ Te ₃）直接沉积在MWCNT网络上来制造混合网络。Bi ₂ Se的生长机理研究了MWCNTs上的₃和Sb ₂ Te ₃。研究了MWCNT-Bi ₂ Se ₃和MWCNT-Sb ₂ Te ₃杂化网络的塞贝克系数和电荷传输性质，作为网络中MWCNT wt％的函数。可变距离跳变模型被用于解释混合网络中的电导机制。发现低MWCNT wt％的MWCNT-Sb ₂ Te ₃和MWCNT-Bi ₂ Se ₃杂化网络的塞贝克系数与纯无机Sb ₂ Te ₃和Bi ₂的塞贝克系数相当。硒₃薄膜。同时，MWCNT-Sb ₂ Te ₃和MWCNT-Bi ₂ Se ₃杂化网络与MWCNT为50％的挠性测试显示，当弯曲成5 mm的半径时，电阻没有明显增加。这使得本工作中介绍的混合网络成为了在柔性热电学中的应用前景，作为柔性基体的热电涂层和聚合物基复合材料的填料。