Electromagnetic Force Assisted Centrifugal Nanocasting for Manufacturing Thermoelectric Energy Conversion Composite Materials

该奖项支持电磁力辅助离心铸造的基础研究，以开发一种快速、可扩展和低成本的制造工艺，以制造高性能热电能量转换复合材料。具体地说，本研究将利用新设计的旋转机械建立基于物理的预测模型，对含热电纳米颗粒半导体聚合物的离心浇注过程中的电磁和机械耦合进行预测，并进行实验验证该模型，验证将纳米级热电元件引入聚合物形成复杂的复合结构将显著提高能量转换性能的假设，评估利用电磁力辅助离心浇注制备含多层聚合物/氧化物纳米管的热电能量转换纳米材料的可行性，建立能量转换行为与制造条件之间的关系。研究结果将为满足国家能源挑战的关键需求提供知识和理解。具有全球竞争力的能源制造业将为国家经济做出贡献。热电机组具有更高的能量转换效率和更低的制造成本，将造福消费者和社会。研究成果还将促进本科生在独立学习和高级顶石设计等课程中的学习。将开展加州州立理工大学-波莫纳(一家为少数群体服务的机构)的研究生培训和到当地高中的外展活动，以激发少数群体学生对能源可持续性领域的兴趣。

This award supports fundamental research on electromagnetic force assisted centrifugal casting in order to develop a fast, scalable and low cost manufacturing process for making high performance thermoelectric energy conversion composite materials. Specifically, the research will develop a physics-based predictive model for coupled electromagnetic and mechanical forces in centrifugal casting thermoelectric nanoparticle-containing semiconducting polymers with a newly designed rotary machine and conduct experiments to verify the model, test the hypothesis that incorporating nanoscale thermoelectric components into polymers to form complex composite structures will significantly enhance the energy conversion performance, evaluate the feasibility of using electromagnetic force assisted centrifugal casting to make thermoelectric energy conversion nanomaterials containing multilayer polymer/oxide nanotubes, establish the relationship between the energy conversion behavior and manufacturing conditions.Research results will provide knowledge and understanding to meet the critical need of energy challenge for the nation. A globally competitive energy manufacturing industry will contribute to the nation's economy. Thermoelectric units with higher energy conversion efficiency and lower manufacturing cost will benefit consumers and the society. Research results will also enhance undergraduate students' learning in such courses as Independent Study and Senior Capstone Design. Training graduate students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, a minority-serving institution, and outreaching to local high schools will be carried out to stimulate the interest of minority students in the field of energy sustainability.