Peltier Effect in Cotton Fabric Treated with Doped Nanocellulose

It is hypothesized that two cotton fabrics treated with dissimilarly doped nanocellulose will display a thermal electric effect, similar to the “Peltier effect,” when a direct current is applied. Middleweight plain weave cotton fabric samples were pretreated by scouring, drying, and then dip-coated in a solution mixture of doping material and nanofibrillated cellulose. Two samples were prepared with silver nanowires and polypyrrole conductive polymer as conductive doping materials, respectively, and one sample only with nanofibrillated cellulose. Coated fabrics were dried and electrically characterized. Samples were paired and cross-tested. Temperature gradients and electrical currents were measured across conductive sample pairs, and the Peltier effect was demonstrated. The temperature range of the Peltier effect was limited by the Joule heat saturation of fabric.