Developing Nanoporous Thermoelectric Energy Conversion Systems Based on Capacitive Effect

0754802乔建议的研究集中在一种新的能量收集方法上，该方法可以从周围环境（例如体温、太阳热能、地热能、地面/水和地面/空气之间的温度梯度等）产生有用的电力。这种技术与传统的直接热电能量转换方法有着根本的不同，后者通常基于塞贝克效应。它有助于解决限制能量转换效率的热短路问题;也就是说，除了能量转换之外，热传导也会导致显著的热能损失。在这项研究中，纳米多孔材料将被用作大表面积电极。如果将两个纳米多孔电极放置在不同的温度下，它们会吸收不同数量的离子，从而产生净输出电压。进入或离开纳米孔的热驱动离子运动导致固相中的瞬态电流。初步的实验数据显示了令人鼓舞的结果。输出电压/功率和能量转换效率比常规热电材料高几个数量级。更广泛的影响除了开发先进的能量转换技术外，这项研究还将揭示纳米环境中离子运动的基本机制，这对微运输、能量储存、纳米材料加工等研究至关重要，这些努力将促进纳米多孔技术在新领域的应用。这笔赠款还将为作者的教学工作提供重要支持。实验视频和可视化计算机模拟模块将用于一些本科生和研究生课程，对课程有相当大的影响。将鼓励女学生和代表人数不足的少数民族参加研讨会和学习课程。研究生将积极参与该项目，并获得全面的实践研究经验。

0754802QiaoThe proposed research is focused on a novel approach of energy harvesting, which can generate useful electricity from ambient environment (e.g. body temperature, solar thermal energy, geothermal energy, temperature gradients between ground/water and ground/air, etc.). This technique is fundamentally different from conventional methods of direct thermoelectric energy conversion, which is usually based on the Seebeck effect. It helps to solve the thermal shorting problem that limits the energy conversion efficiency; that is, in addition to the energy conversion, heat conduction also causes a significant thermal energy loss. In this research, nanoporous materials will be employed as large-surface-area electrodes. If two nanoporous electrodes are placed at different temperatures, they absorb different amounts of ions, generating a net output voltage. The thermally driven ion motion into or out of nanopores causes a transient current in the solid phase. The preliminary experimental data have shown encouraging results. The output voltage/power and the energy conversion efficiency are higher than that of conventional thermoelectric materials by orders of magnitude. Broader ImpactIn addition to the development of advanced energy conversion techniques, this study will also shed light on fundamental mechanisms of ion motion in nanoenvironment, which is critical to the studies on microtransportation, energy storage, nanomaterials processing, etc. These efforts will promote the application of nanoporous technology in new areas. This grant will also provide an important support to the author's pedagogical efforts. Video of experiments and visualized computer simulation modules will be used in a number of undergraduate and graduate courses, having considerable impact on the curriculum. Female students and under-represented minorities will be encouraged to attend the seminars and take the courses. Graduate students will be actively involved in the project and acquire comprehensive hands-on research experience.