Enhanced Thermoelectric Power in Ionic Liquids
Abstract
The thiolate/disulfide organic redox couple (McMT−/BMT), derived from 2-mercapto-5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole (McMT), recently proposed as an alternative to usual inorganic couples in dye-sensitized solar cells, exhibits a remarkable reversibility and stability in a thermogalvanic cell containing a 1-ethyl-3-methyimidazolium tetrafluoroborate/acetonitrile (EMIMBF4/AN) mixture. The thermoelectric power depends strongly on concentrations of both the ionic liquid and the redox couple. It is enhanced by a factor of six at high ionic-liquid concentrations. The control of these parameters can be used to enhance the thermopower and the thermoelectric efficiency of future ionic-liquid thermocells.