Heat collection and supply of interconnected netlike graphene/polyethyleneglycol composites for thermoelectric devices.

The key challenges in thermoelectric power conversion are creating a significant temperature difference and obtaining more heat energy through a thermoelectric device. Herein, graphene/polyethyleneglycol composites (G-PEGs) were proposed as a heat supply for thermoelectric devices. The G-PEGs not only afford a lot of conductive pathways for heat transfer but also act as highly thermally conductive reservoirs to hold phase-change materials for thermal energy collection, storage and release. The concept described in this study holds great promise in designing multifunctional composites for heat collection, transport, and supply in thermoelectric power conversion.