New High Efficiency Thermoelectric Materials for Thermal Energy Harvesting

CBET-0754821 Zhao该研究项目的重点是制造，表征和理解用于热能收集和转换的新型高效热电材料。 高效热电材料用于设计成将热能转换成电的热电装置中。 太阳能、废热、地热能和其他热能转化为电能将在开发先进的可再生能源技术中发挥重要作用。 本研究将利用C60富勒烯基固体材料、C60/Bi 2 Te 3和C60/TiO 2纳米复合材料来提高热电材料的能量转换效率。 C60富勒烯的一个新特性是其超低的热导率，这是高效热电器件所需要的。 所提出的纳米复合材料预计将受益于上级热电性能的成分，除了对热传输的尺寸效应。 预计在项目期结束时将确定新的高效热电材料。 该项目还将为包括少数民族学生在内的研究生和本科生提供研究培训和指导，让他们密切参与研究活动。 拟议工作的一个独特的智力价值在于综合研究工作，包括先进的材料制造，表征和计算材料研究的新型热电材料。 综合研究工作将使科学家能够了解材料特性，识别新材料并确定最佳制造条件。 该项目的成功将对国家对清洁和可再生能源技术的需求产生更广泛的影响。 收集热能（太阳能、废热和地热等）通过热电转换提供了更清洁，更有效的化石燃料燃烧的替代品，并能够减少温室气体排放。 该项目的成功将标志着我国朝着实现能源安全和独立迈出了重要一步。 该项目具有潜在的变革性，因为待研究的纳米复合材料具有C60的低热导率和Bi 2 Te 3和TiO 2的高Seebeck和电导率的综合性能。 这将导致一组全新的热电材料具有高品质因数。该项目由工程局（ENG）化学，生物工程，环境和运输系统（CBET）部门的热传输过程（TTP）计划和综合活动办公室（OIA）的刺激竞争研究实验计划（EPSCoR）共同资助。

CBET-0754821ZhaoThis research project focuses on the fabrication, characterization, and understanding of new high-efficiency thermoelectric materials for thermal energy harvesting and conversion. High-efficiency thermoelectric materials are used in thermoelectric devices designed to convert thermal energy into electricity. The conversion of solar thermal energy, waste heat, geothermal energy and other thermal energies into electrical energy will play an important role in the endeavor to develop advanced renewable energy technologies. In this project, a novel approach will be developed to enhance the energy conversion efficiency of thermoelectric materials by utilizing C60 fullerene based solid materials, C60/Bi2Te3 and C60/TiO2 nanocomposites. One of the novel properties of C60 fullerene is its super-low thermal conductivity, which is required for high-efficiency thermoelectric devices. The proposed nanocomposites are expected to benefit from the superior thermoelectric properties of the constituents, in addition to the size effect on the thermal transport. It is anticipated that new highly efficient thermoelectric materials will be identified at the end of the project period. The project will also provide research training and mentoring for graduate and undergraduate students, including minority students, by intimately engaging them in the research activities. A unique intellectual merit of the proposed work lies in the combined research efforts, including advanced material fabrication, characterization, and computational materials research for novel thermoelectric materials. The integrated research efforts will enable the scientists to understand the material properties, identify new materials and determine the optimal fabrication conditions. The success of this project will have a broader impact on the national needs for clean and renewable energy technologies. Harvesting thermal energy (solar, waste heat and geothermal, etc.) via thermoelectric conversion offers cleaner, more-efficient alternatives to the combustion of fossil fuels, and enables the reduction of greenhouse emissions. The success of the project will represent an important step toward achieving energy security and independence for our nation. The project is potentially transformative because the nanocomposite materials to be investigated possess combined properties of low thermal conductivity of C60 and high Seebeck and electrical conductivity of Bi2Te3 and TiO2. This will lead to a completely new group of thermoelectric materials with high figure of merit. This project is jointly funded by the Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) Program, of the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) Division within the Directorate for Engineering (ENG), and by the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), of the Office of Integrative Activities (OIA).