Thermal Transport and Energy Conversion in Thermoelectric Nanocomposite Materials

0933763 Vashaee该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。热电材料具有将废热直接转化为电能的潜力。纳米复合块状热电材料可以快速且廉价地制造，并且以与现有热电装置配置兼容的形式制造。不幸的是，现有的热电理论是无法正确预测的热电性能的这种结构，往往需要数百个样品的生长和测量，在寻求确定最佳的纳米结构方面的高效率和低cost.Intellectual优点：这项建议的目的是开发一种能力，以预测热电纳米复合材料的相关性能。非平衡态绿色？的函数技术将发展到考虑自然耦合的声子和电子的散射，以及其他量子效应。晶体取向和应变等问题将被占，以确定其对散装热电性能的影响。模型预测将与合成纳米复合材料的热电性能测量进行比较，以优化材料的纳米级特征、材料成分、掺杂浓度和材料加工参数，从而提高此类廉价热电材料的效率。开发高效、廉价的热电材料是大规模降低能源消耗和有害排放的关键。这项研究将被纳入新的研究生课程将在俄克拉荷马州塔尔萨州开发。本科生将参与研究。将与俄克拉荷马州路易斯斯托克斯联盟一起从代表性不足的群体中招募学生。参加塔尔萨儿童教育项目？K12学生的博物馆将出现。

0933763VashaeeThis award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Thermoelectric materials have the potential to directly convert waste heat into electrical energy. Nanocomposite bulk thermoelectric materials can be fabricated quickly and inexpensively, and in a form that is compatible with existing thermoelectric device configurations. Unfortunately, existing theory of thermoelectricity is not able to predict correctly the thermoelectric properties of such structures, and often hundreds of samples might need to be grown and measured, in the quest to identify optimum nanostructures in terms of high efficiency and low cost.Intellectual Merit: This proposal aims to develop a capability to predict the relevant properties of thermoelectric nanocomposite materials. A nonequilibrium Green?s function technique will be developed to account for the natural coupling of scattering of phonons and electrons, as well as other quantum effects. Issues such as crystal orientation and strain will be accounted for to determine their effects on the bulk thermoelectric properties. Model predictions will be compared with measurements of thermoelectric properties of synthesized nanocomposites to optimize the nanoscale features of the material, the material composition, the doping concentration(s), and the material processing parameters to improve the efficiency of such inexpensive thermoelectric materials.Broader Impact: Development of highly efficient, inexpensive thermoelectric materials is a key to reduce both energy consumption and harmful emissions on a large scale. The research will be integrated into new graduate courses to be developed at Oklahoma State-Tulsa. Undergraduate students will be involved in the research. Recruitment of students from underrepresented groups in conjunction with the Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance will be pursued. Participation in an educational program at the Tulsa Children?s Museum for K12 students will occur.