What if you could easily print a thin layer of material – for use anywhere – that would allow you to create flexible energy harvesters or coolers? That may soon be a reality.
Thermoelectric conversion is a solid-state and environmentally friendly energy conversion technology with broad applications that include solid-state cooling, energy harvesting and waste heat recovery.
Flexible thermoelectric devices are especially attractive for waste heat recovery along contoured surfaces and for energy harvesting applications to power sensors, biomedical devices and wearable electronics – an area experiencing exponential growth. However, obtaining low-cost, flexible and efficient thermoelectric materials is extremely difficult due to many materials and manufacturing challenges.
In work led by professor Yanliang Zhang at Boise State University, high-performance and low-cost flexible thermoelectric films and devices were fabricated by an innovative screen-printing process that allows for direct conversion of nanocrystals into flexible thermoelectric devices.
The precise control of the starting nanocrystals’ shape and surface chemistry and the optimization of the nano-ink and screen-printing process are the key factors giving rise to unprecedented performances in the printed thermoelectric materials.
The paper on this work, “High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystalsis,” is published on the Scientific Reports website. The collaboration with high-tech startup company ThermoAura, focusing on nanocrystal synthesis, also contributed to the success of this work.
Based on initial cost analysis, the screen-printed films can realize thermoelectric devices at 2-3 cents per watt, an order of magnitude lower than current state-of-the-art commercial devices. Such a cost reduction would make thermoelectrics a very competitive energy conversion technology that could tremendously open up the largely underexplored markets on waste heat recovery.
This additive printing method not only will benefit thermoelectrics, but also result in a disruptive manufacturing approach for other electronic devices and energy conversion or storage technologies of ultralow cost and flexibility.
Zhang’s vision on marrying additive manufacturing and advanced energy technology to enable major technology breakthroughs also has been recognized by a major federal funding agency. He recently received an infrastructure award from U.S. Department of Energy to invest an advanced additive printing equipment and establish state-of-the-art additive manufacturing capabilities at Boise State.
This new capability will enable students to perform cutting edge research on additive manufacturing and their applications on printing sensors, flexible electronics and energy conversion and storage systems.
More information: T. Varghese, et.al., High-performance and flexible thermoelectric films by screen printing solution-processed nanoplate crystals, Scientific Reports, 6, 33135, 2016. www.nature.com/articles/srep33135
Source: Boise State University News
Namna gani ikiwa ungeweza kuchapisha kwa urahisi tabaka nyembamba la vifaa - kwa ajili ya matumizi mahali popote - ambavyo vingekuruhusu kutengeneza mashine za kuvuna nishati au vifaa vya kupoza joto? Hilo laweza kuwa jambo halisi hivi karibuni. Thermoelectric ni hali ya imara na mazingira ya kirafiki teknolojia ya mabadiliko ya nishati na matumizi pana ambayo ni pamoja na hali ya imara baridi, nishati kuvuna na taka joto mapato. Vifaa vya joto vya umeme ni kuvutia hasa kwa ajili ya kupona joto taka kando ya nyuso contoured na kwa ajili ya matumizi ya nishati kuvuna kwa sensorer nguvu, vifaa vya biomedical na vifaa vya elektroniki kuvaa - eneo uzoefu ukuaji exponential. Hata hivyo, kupata gharama nafuu, rahisi na ufanisi thermoelectric vifaa ni vigumu sana kutokana na vifaa vingi na changamoto za utengenezaji. Katika kazi iliyoongozwa na profesa Yan Liang Zhang katika Chuo Kikuu cha Jimbo la Boise, filamu na vifaa vya joto vya chini na vya gharama nafuu vilitengenezwa na mchakato wa kuchapisha skrini ya ubunifu ambayo inaruhusu kubadilisha moja kwa moja nanocrystals katika vifaa vya joto. Udhibiti sahihi wa nanocrystals kuanzia sura na kemikali ya uso na optimization ya nano-ink na screen-kuchapisha mchakato ni mambo muhimu kutoa ongezeko la utendaji unprecedented katika vifaa kuchapishwa thermoelectric. Karatasi juu ya kazi hii, <unk> High-utendaji na rahisi thermoelectric filamu na screen uchapishaji ufumbuzi-kusindika nanoplate crystalsis, <unk> ni kuchapishwa kwenye tovuti ya Ripoti za Kisayansi. Ushirikiano na kampuni ya teknolojia ya juu ya kuanza ThermoAura, inayozingatia usanisi wa nanocrystal, pia ilichangia mafanikio ya kazi hii. Kulingana na uchambuzi wa gharama za awali, filamu za screen-printed zinaweza kugundua vifaa vya joto kwa senti 2-3 kwa watt, utaratibu wa ukubwa chini ya vifaa vya sasa vya biashara. Kupunguza gharama kama hiyo ingefanya thermoelectrics teknolojia ya kubadilisha nishati ya ushindani sana ambayo inaweza kufungua sana masoko ya chini ya kuchunguzwa juu ya kupona joto taka. "Utaratibu huu wa kuchapisha wa nyongeza hautafaidisha tu thermoelectrics, lakini pia itasababisha mbinu ya utengenezaji wa kuvuruga kwa vifaa vingine vya elektroniki na teknolojia za kubadilisha au kuhifadhi nishati ya gharama ya chini na kubadilika.""" Maono ya Zhang juu ya kuoa utengenezaji wa nyongeza na teknolojia ya juu ya nishati kuwezesha mafanikio makubwa ya teknolojia pia yametambuliwa na shirika kubwa la ufadhili wa shirikisho. Hivi karibuni alipokea tuzo ya miundombinu kutoka Idara ya Nishati ya Marekani kuwekeza katika vifaa vya kuchapisha nyongeza na kuanzisha uwezo wa utengenezaji wa nyongeza katika Jimbo la Boise. Uwezo huu mpya utawezesha wanafunzi kufanya utafiti wa juu juu ya utengenezaji wa nyongeza na matumizi yao kwenye sensorer za kuchapisha, vifaa vya elektroniki vya kubadilisha na mifumo ya kubadilisha na kuhifadhi nishati. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Mafunzo ya Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti."""