Ion–Electron Coupling Enables Ionic Thermoelectric Material with New Operation Mode and High Energy Density

Abstract

Ionic thermoelectrics (i-TE) possesses great potential in powering distributed electronics because it can generate thermopower up to tens of millivolts per Kelvin. However, as ions cannot enter external circuit, the utilization of i-TE is currently based on capacitive charge/discharge, which results in discontinuous working mode and low energy density. Here, we introduce an ion–electron thermoelectric synergistic (IETS) effect by utilizing an ion–electron conductor. Electrons/holes can drift under the electric field generated by thermodiffusion of ions, thus converting the ionic current into electrical current that can pass through the external circuit.