Due to the popularity of electronic devices, smart sensors are gaining traction in monitoring and providing indoor electrical safety alarms. However, how to accurately and efficiently identify various indoor electrical safety hazards is still a difficult problem for researchers to solve. Recently, the research group of Professor Chen Guangming of Shenzhen University has developed a single-walled carbon nanotube/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (SWCNT/P3HT) composite material with thermoelectric and optoelectronic bifunctional response. Due to its unique thermoelectric and photoelectric effects, this composite material significantly increases the output voltage compared to a single thermoelectric effect. More importantly, by taking advantage of the difference in the nominal Seebeck coefficient of materials under different heat transfer methods, different heat transfer modes can be effectively distinguished, which opens up new possibilities for the application of smart sensors. The indoor intelligent sensor developed based on SWCNT/P3HT composite materials can not only effectively identify and monitor common indoor electrical hazards such as overheating and ignition sources of electrical appliances, but also accurately capture potential health risks such as excessive indoor and outdoor temperature differences caused by air conditioners. The research results provide a new idea for the design of intelligent sensors that can accurately identify heat transfer methods, and provide technical support for the intelligent real-time monitoring of indoor electrical safety hazards.
应期刊主编邀请，相关成果以“Distinguishing thermoelectric and photoelectric modes enables intelligent real-time detection of indoor electrical safety hazards”为题，发表在《Materials Horizons》的“庆祝英国皇家化学会会士科学成果”（Celebrating the scientific accomplishments of RSC Fellows）主题合集（Themed Collection）上。
Original link:
Hatps://doi.org/10.1039/d3MH02187D
Figure 1. Design and SEM morphology characterization of SWCNT/P3HT composite films
Figure 2. Structural and optical characterization of SWCNT/P3HT composite films
Figure 3. Thermoelectric properties and stability of SWCNT/P3HT composite films
Figure 4. Thermoelectric/photoelectric synergy of SWCNT/P3HT composite films
Figure 5. SWCNT/P3HT composite film distinguishes the working principle of heat transfer mode
Figure 6. Application of intelligent sensing devices based on SWCNT/P3HT composite film in indoor electrical safety hazard monitoring
This achievement is one of the latest advances in the research of thermoelectric devices and application scenarios in Professor Chen Guangming's research group, which conceives the application scenarios of intelligent sensor devices based on distinguishing between thermoelectric and photoelectric effects in indoor electrical hazard early warning. This research not only provides a new method for the design of thermoelectric/optoelectronic multifunctional materials and devices, but also provides technical support for the safety monitoring of smart homes. In the past ten years, Professor Chen Guangming's team has focused on the research of organic/inorganic composite thermoelectric materials and flexible devices, and explored their applications in the fields of flexible and wearable electronics, sensing and the Internet of Things, and has achieved a series of important research results.
*Thank you to the team of authors for their great support.