Fundamental Study of Interaction of Ions Present in Water with Graphene Coatings for Energy Harvesting

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This project will investigate an approach to energy harvesting based on the interaction of a fluid such as water with a graphene surface. Graphene is a highly flexible, two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms and is ideally suited for the coating of large surfaces. This project aims to demonstrate that water flow over graphene surfaces can directly generate electricity. Graphene is ideally suited for this application, since it possesses high-mobility charge carriers that are ready to be coupled to moving ions present in the flowing fluid. Graphene is also flexible, minimally invasive (it is the thinnest material), chemically and mechanically stable, and environmentally benign. Moreover, its synthesis is scalable and macro-scale continuous graphene films can be produced by roll-to-roll deposition techniques. The proposed graphene coating offers unique possibilities for energy harvesting from hitherto untapped renewable sources such as rain, tidal action, waves, ocean currents, river water as well as water flow over boats, submarines, and bridges. Such graphene skins could enable harvesting of the ubiquitous, abundant and renewable mechanical energy of moving water directly to electrical energy. Unlike traditional schemes, the graphene coating directly converts the flow energy into electrical energy without the need for moving parts. Such graphene coatings could also replace conventional batteries (which are environmentally hazardous) in low-power, low-voltage and long service-life applications. Once scaled up, this concept offers a potentially transformative approach to energy harvesting, as compared with incremental advances in current technologies. The investigators will develop specially designed interactive learning modules (or virtual labs) which will be integrated into the curriculum. Outreach includes demonstrations to undergraduates as well as to high school students and teachers. The PIs aim is to popularize science and to attract under-represented groups to pursue careers in renewable energy technologies. This project will tackle the fundamental science and engineering challenges associated with developing graphene-based coatings for nano-fluidic power harvesting. The key science challenge involves understanding in-depth the mechanism(s) responsible for nano-fluidic power harvesting in graphene films. In particular, the project aims to develop a fundamental understanding of how ions present in a fluid such as water, interact and couple with graphene-coated as well as free-standing graphene surfaces. This will be addressed using carefully designed control experiments in conjunction with molecular dynamics and first principles density functional theory calculations. The engineering challenge is equally important and involves scaling up the graphene size in a manner that retains the outstanding power density of the coating. This will be addressed by adapting newly developed roll-to-roll and template-directed chemical vapor deposition techniques to produce macroscale graphene films and foams. The graphene manufacturing process will be optimized to avoid physical interfaces (breaks) in the film as it is scaled up to macroscale dimensions and to tightly control thickness and structure-properties of the graphene. The coupling between experiments and theory, modeling and simulation work will build fundamental understanding of the underlying science and enable successful development, optimization and validation of the proposed technology. The PIs will develop specially designed interactive learning modules (or virtual labs) which will be integrated into the curriculum. Outreach includes demonstrations to undergraduates as well as to high school students and teachers. The PIs aim is to popularize science and to attract under-represented groups to pursue careers in renewable energy technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.