journal article·2026-07Open access

Thermoelectric Gating Organic Electrochemical Transistors Enabled by Printable Ionogels With n‐p Convertible Thermopower

Xingyu Hu, Xinwen Yan, Ling Huang, Xiaohang Zhang, Xuan Cao, Cong Zhang, Qingqing Sun, Hanyu Jia, Xuying Liu

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 41

Abstract

ABSTRACT Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are promising for bioelectronics and low‐power logic owing to their mixed ionic‐electronic conduction and mechanical softness. However, thermoelectric gating of OECTs remains unexplored due to the incompatibility of rigid, electronically dominated thermoelectric modules with hydrated soft systems. Here, we introduce printable thermoelectric ionogels with n‐p convertible thermopower, where the Seebeck coefficient is tunable from –3.61 to +9.74 mV K − 1 through facile [EMIm][Cl] doping. These ionogels act simultaneously as thermoelectric legs and ionic dielectrics, enabling direct integration with OECTs to realize soft, complementary p–n thermoelectric modules. We demonstrate thermoelectric gating of both BBL‐ and p(g2T‐T)‐based OECTs, achieving high on/off ratios (>10 3 ) and robust transconductance under low temperature gradients (<30 K), while retaining mechanical stretchability. This strategy provides a general framework for coupling thermoelectric functionality with OECTs, opening new avenues for energy‐autonomous, flexible electronics with built‐in thermal sensing and adaptive control.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Conducting polymers and applications · Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Covalent Organic Framework Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

School of Materials Science and Engineering Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China

Hubei R&D Center of Hyperbranched Polymers Synthesis and Applications Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science South‐Central Minzu University Wuhan China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province

References (50)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/s41578‐024‐00652‐710.1038/s41578‐024‐00652‐7 ↗
2. 10.1016/j.matt.2023.05.00110.1016/j.matt.2023.05.001 ↗
3. 10.1126/science.adj439710.1126/science.adj4397 ↗
4. 10.1038/s41563‐022‐01450‐810.1038/s41563‐022‐01450‐8 ↗
5. 10.1038/s41467‐025‐59587‐410.1038/s41467‐025‐59587‐4 ↗
6. 10.1007/s40242‐024‐4176‐410.1007/s40242‐024‐4176‐4 ↗
7. 10.1016/j.matt.2025.10208610.1016/j.matt.2025.102086 ↗
8. 10.1016/j.matt.2022.07.01610.1016/j.matt.2022.07.016 ↗
9. 10.1038/s41566‐023‐01232‐x10.1038/s41566‐023‐01232‐x ↗
10. 10.1021/acsnano.9b0954910.1021/acsnano.9b09549 ↗
11. 10.1002/adfm.20221147910.1002/adfm.202211479 ↗
12. 10.1002/adma.20180338810.1002/adma.201803388 ↗
13. 10.1002/adfm.20240449710.1002/adfm.202404497 ↗
14. 10.1021/acsami.3c1029910.1021/acsami.3c10299 ↗
15. 10.1038/s41467‐025‐61783‐110.1038/s41467‐025‐61783‐1 ↗
16. 10.1038/ncomms1421410.1038/ncomms14214 ↗
17. 10.1038/s41467‐019‐08930‐710.1038/s41467‐019‐08930‐7 ↗
18. 10.1038/s41586‐018‐0536‐x10.1038/s41586‐018‐0536‐x ↗
19. 10.1002/anie.20160447810.1002/anie.201604478 ↗
20. 10.1063/1.276777510.1063/1.2767775 ↗
21. 10.1021/cm504059t10.1021/cm504059t ↗
22. 10.1002/anie.20191105810.1002/anie.201911058 ↗
23. 10.1002/adfm.20190580910.1002/adfm.201905809 ↗
24. 10.1038/nmat363510.1038/nmat3635 ↗
25. 10.1038/natrevmats.2016.5010.1038/natrevmats.2016.50 ↗
26. 10.1002/adma.20110430510.1002/adma.201104305 ↗
27. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b0074610.1021/acs.langmuir.7b00746 ↗
28. 10.1002/aenm.20220369210.1002/aenm.202203692 ↗
29. 10.1002/adma.20231224910.1002/adma.202312249 ↗
30. 10.1002/advs.20230025310.1002/advs.202300253 ↗
31. 10.1038/s41467‐024‐53660‐010.1038/s41467‐024‐53660‐0 ↗
32. 10.1038/s41467‐023‐36018‐w10.1038/s41467‐023‐36018‐w ↗
33. 10.1038/s41467‐021‐27885‐210.1038/s41467‐021‐27885‐2 ↗
34. 10.1039/D5MH01280E10.1039/D5MH01280E ↗
35. 10.1002/adfm.20230549910.1002/adfm.202305499 ↗
36. 10.1038/s41467‐019‐08930‐710.1038/s41467‐019‐08930‐7 ↗
37. 10.1016/j.matt.2025.10226510.1016/j.matt.2025.102265 ↗
38. 10.1002/aenm.20230247210.1002/aenm.202302472 ↗
39. 10.1002/adfm.20230331110.1002/adfm.202303311 ↗
40. 10.1021/acsami.1c0332810.1021/acsami.1c03328 ↗
41. 10.1016/j.mtener.2023.10138310.1016/j.mtener.2023.101383 ↗
42. 10.1002/aenm.20220085810.1002/aenm.202200858 ↗
43. 10.1126/sciadv.adk209810.1126/sciadv.adk2098 ↗
44. 10.1002/adma.20240238610.1002/adma.202402386 ↗
45. 10.1002/adfm.20210430110.1002/adfm.202104301 ↗
46. 10.1002/adma.20200261010.1002/adma.202002610 ↗
47. 10.1002/adma.20250931410.1002/adma.202509314 ↗
48. 10.1016/j.matt.2023.11.02410.1016/j.matt.2023.11.024 ↗
49. 10.1039/D4MH00725E10.1039/D4MH00725E ↗
50. 10.1126/science.adg875810.1126/science.adg8758 ↗