NSF/DOE Thermoelectrics Partnership, Collaborative Proposal: Project SEEBECK - Saving Energy Effectively By Engaging in Collaborative research and sharing Knowledge

该项目涉及俄亥俄州立大学、西北大学、弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学的研究人员，并得到了工业界的投入。通过共同努力，研究人员希望解决热电废热回收技术商业化的主要科学障碍。该项目的目标是创建一个可行的系统，利用热电（TE）设备将汽车废热转化为可用的电能。智力价值：这里提出的研究将通过关注五个关键要素来推进TE的工作。材料研究（由俄勒冈州立大学和西北大学领导）将开发先进的TE材料，这些材料由地球上丰富的、地理上分散的元素和化合物制成，特别是PbSe和Mg2Si-Mg2Sn。热管理系统设计（由BSST领导）将创造新的热设计，通过减少接口数量，减少TE材料的使用量来最大限度地减少损耗；这些设计将使产品的耐用性最大化。由vpi &；SU和ZTPlus领导的接口工作将集中在TE材料的金属化和器件互连以及金属化元件与散热器的柔性键合上，以提高耐用性并减少器件级性能损失。该团队将扩大计量能力，以测量电和热接触电阻，并开发具有自一致错误检查的全面冗余测量环路系统。耐久性将是每一项发明的内在设计标准。这个项目有可能改变TE材料的发展。我们将提高对共振能级对固体输运性质影响的基本理解，并使其适用于大类半导体。Mg2X基质封装技术的发展将扩展创造纳米结构热电材料的固态化学方法。新的强而灵活的高温键合技术将影响半导体芯片的组装。该项目将促进对TE发电机效率、高温下TE材料耐久性和TE材料循环寿命耐久性的理解，所有这些都是成功商业化的关键。更广泛的影响：该项目将创造潜在的变革性研究，承诺每天节省多达80万桶石油并减少碳排放。研究结果将被纳入项目调查人员讲授的传输现象、材料合成和电子元件组装的物理课程中。学术PI还将把这项研究纳入多学科合作小组的参与。这项研究所涉及的能源效率和使用的重要性将被整合到这三所大学建立良好的外展项目中。公司合作伙伴的参与确保了大规模的商业化，因为BSST在汽车和其他关键行业的TE商业应用方面处于世界领先地位。

1048622 / 1048621 / 1048728Heremans / Lu / KanatzidisThis project involves researchers from Ohio State University, Northwestern University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with input from industries. Working together, the researchers hope to solve major scientific barriers to commercializing thermoelectric waste heat recovery technology. The goal of project is the creation of a viable system to convert automotive waste heat into usable electrical power using thermoelectric (TE) devices.Intellectual Merit: The research proposed here will advance work in TE by focusing on five key elements. Materials research (led by OSU and NU) will develop advanced TE materials made from earth-abundant, geographically dispersed elements and compounds, specifically PbSe and Mg2Si-Mg2Sn. Thermal management system design (led by BSST) will create new thermal designs to minimize losses by minimizing the number of interfaces, minimizing the amount of TE material used; these designs will maximize the durability of the product. Work on interfaces, led by VPI&SU and ZTPlus, will focus on the metallization of the TE materials and device interconnection and the flexible bonding of the metallized elements to the heat spreaders to increase durability and reduce device level performance losses. The team will expand capabilities in metrology to measure electrical and thermal contact resistances, and develop a comprehensive and redundant measurement loop system with self-consistent error checking. Durability will be the inherent design criterion in every invention.This project has the potential to transform progress in TE materials. We will improve the fundamental understanding of the effect of resonant levels on the transport properties of solids, and make it applicable to large classes of semiconductors. The development of matrix encapsulation techniques for Mg2X will expand the repertoire of creative solid-state chemistry approaches in creating nanostructured thermoelectrics. New strong and flexible high-temperature bonding techniques will impact the assembly of semiconductor die. The project will advance understanding on the efficiency of TE generators, TE material durability at high temperatures, and cycle life durability of TE materials, all of which are critical to successful commercialization.Broader Impacts: This project will create potentially transformative research that promises to save up to 800,000 barrels of oil daily and reduce carbon emissions. Results of the research will be incorporated into classes taught by project investigators in the physics of transport phenomena, materials synthesis and electronic component assembly. The academic PI's will also integrate this research into participation in multidisciplinary collaborative groups. The significance of energy efficiency and usage that this research addresses will be integrated into the well established outreach programs at all three universities. Involvement of corporate partners ensures large scale commercialization, as BSST is the world leader in commercial applications of TE's in automotive and other key industries.