skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


Title: Colossal thermo-hydro-electrochemical voltage generation for self-sustainable operation of electronics
Abstract Thermoelectrics are suited to converting dissipated heat into electricity for operating electronics, but the small voltage (~0.1 mV K−1) from the Seebeck effect has been one of the major hurdles in practical implementation. Here an approach with thermo-hydro-electrochemical effects can generate a large thermal-to-electrical energy conversion factor (TtoE factor), −87 mV K−1with low-cost carbon steel electrodes and a solid-state polyelectrolyte made of polyaniline and polystyrene sulfonate (PANI:PSS). We discovered that the thermo-diffusion of water in PANI:PSS under a temperature gradient induced less (or more) water on the hotter (or colder) side, raising (or lowering) the corrosion overpotential in the hotter (or colder) side and thereby generating output power between the electrodes. Our findings are expected to facilitate subsequent research for further increasing the TtoE factor and utilizing dissipated thermal energy.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1805963
PAR ID:
10308040
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Nature Publishing Group
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Volume:
12
Issue:
1
ISSN:
2041-1723
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; et al (, Advanced Functional Materials)
    Katz, Howard (Ed.)
    Abstract The design of polymeric semiconductors exhibiting high electrical conductivity (σ) and thermoelectric power factor (PF) will be vital for flexible large‐area electronics. In this work, four polymers based on diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP), 2,3‐dihydrothieno[3,4‐b][1,4]dioxine (EDOT), thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene (TT), and 3, 3′‐bis (2‐(2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy) ethoxy) ethoxy)‐2, 2′‐bithiophene (MEET) are investigated as side‐chains, with the MEET polymers newly synthesized for this study. These polymers are systematically doped with tetrafluorotetracyanoquinodimethane ( F4TCNQ), CF3SO3H, and the synthesized dopant Cp(CN)3‐(COOMe)3, differing in geometry and electron affinity. The DPP‐EDOT‐based polymer containing MEET as side‐chains exhibits the highest conductivity (σ) ≈700 S cm−1 in this series with the acidic dopant (CF3SO3H). This polymer also shows the lowest oxidation potential by cyclic voltammetry (CV), the strongest intermolecular interactions evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and has the most oxygen‐based functionality for possible hydrogen bonding and ionic screening. Other polymers exhibit high σ ≈300–500 S cm−1 and power factor up to 300 µW m−1K−2. The mechanism of conductivity is predominantly electronic, as validated by time‐dependent conductance studies and transient thermo voltage monitoring over time, including for those doped with the acid. These materials maintain significant thermal stability and air stability over ≈6 weeks. Density functional theory calculations reveal molecular geometries and inform about frontier energy levels. Raman spectroscopy, in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy (SEM‐EDS) and x‐ray diffraction, provides insight into the solid‐state microstructure and degree of phase separation of the doped polymer films. Infrared spectroscopy enables this study to further quantify the degree of charge transfer from polymer to dopant. 
    more » « less
  2. ; (, Electroanalysis)
    Abstract Multiplexed solid‐contact ion‐selective electrodes (SCISEs) are fabricated using printed circuit board (PCB) and mesoporous carbon black (MCB) as ion‐to‐electron transducer (solid contact). Four sensor configurations were examined and showed that in addition to MCB, the sensor configuration plays crucial role in the stability of the potential response. The enhanced sensor stability was also linked with suppression of transmembrane flux of water. The sensors exhibited near‐Nernstian sensitivity (58.1 mV/dec for K+ISEs and −55.1 mV/dec for NO3‐ISEs), low detection limits (1.5–2.2 μM), and good short‐term stability (∼0.1 mV/min). Sensors can be stored dry and used without preconditioning. This work demonstrates a promising approach to combining PCB technology and carbon black for large‐scale production of low cost ISEs for point‐of‐care testing, wearables, orin situfield measurements. 
    more » « less
  3. ; (, Journal of Polymer Science)
    Abstract Thermo‐responsive polymers have been widely explored because of their diverse structures and functions in response to temperature stimuli. Great attention has been attracted to exploring and designing such polymers composites, which offer tremendous opportunities to build up a systematic understanding of their structure–function relationships and pave the ways for their extensive applications in electronics, soft robotics, and electrochemical energy storage devices. Here, we review the most recent research of thermal regulation in electrochemical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors) via thermo‐responsive polymers. We summarize how battery components (i.e., electrolytes, separators, electrodes, or current collectors) can be coupled with thermo‐responsive polymers based on different operation mechanisms, such as volume expansion, polymerization, phase reversion, and de‐doping effects, to effectively prevent catastrophic thermal runaway. Different types of thermo‐responsive polymers are evaluated to compare their key features and/or limitations. This review is concluded with perspectives of future design strategies towards more effective thermo‐responsive polymers for battery thermal regulation. 
    more » « less
  4. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (, The Planetary Science Journal)
    Abstract We present a thermal observation of Callisto's leading hemisphere obtained using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array at 0.87 mm (343 GHz). The angular resolution achieved for this observation was ∼0.″16, which for Callisto at the time of this observation (D∼ 1.″05) was equivalent to ∼six elements across the surface. Our disk-integrated brightness temperature of 116 ± 5 K (8.03 ± 0.40 Jy) is consistent with prior disk-integrated observations. Global surface properties were derived from the observation using a thermophysical model constrained by spacecraft data. We find that models parameterized by two thermal inertia components more accurately fit the data than single thermal inertia models. Our best-fit global parameters adopt a lower thermal inertia of 15–50 J m−2K−1s−1/2and a higher thermal inertia component of 1200–2000 J m−2K−1s−1/2, with retrieved millimeter emissivities of 0.89–0.91. We identify several thermally anomalous regions, including spots ∼3 K colder than model predictions colocated with the Valhalla impact basin and a complex of craters in the southern hemisphere; this indicates the presence of materials possessing either a higher thermal inertia or a lower emissivity. A warm region confined to the midlatitudes in these leading hemisphere data may be indicative of regolith property changes due to exogenic sculpting. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ; ; ; (, Advanced Science)
    Abstract Raman spectroscopy has been widely used to measure thermophysical properties of 2D materials. The local intense photon heating induces strong thermal nonequilibrium between optical and acoustic phonons. Both first principle calculations and recent indirect Raman measurements prove this phenomenon. To date, no direct measurement of the thermal nonequilibrium between optical and acoustic phonons has been reported. Here, this physical phenomenon is directly characterized for the first time through a novel approach combining both electrothermal and optothermal techniques. While the optical phonon temperature is determined from Raman wavenumber, the acoustic phonon temperature is precisely determined using high‐precision thermal conductivity and laser power absorption that are measured with negligible nonequilibrium among energy carriers. For graphene paper, the energy coupling factor between in‐plane optical and overall acoustic phonons is found at (1.59–3.10) × 1015W m−3K−1, agreeing well with the quantum mechanical modeling result of 4.1 × 1015W m−3K−1. Under ≈1 µm diameter laser heating, the optical phonon temperature rise is over 80% higher than that of the acoustic phonons. This observation points out the importance of subtracting optical–acoustic phonon thermal nonequilibrium in Raman‐based thermal characterization. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email