2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Nanoengineered nanochannels for energy harvesting of low-grade waste heat
| Project/Area Number |
20K15147
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 28050:Nano/micro-systems-related
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Nanochannels / Energy harvesting / IoT sensing systems / Thermoelectric generator |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
This work demonstrates thermal-to-electric energy conversion based on ionic nanofluidic transport in nanochannels inducted by a temperature gradient. Two types of highly periodic and high aspect ratio nanochannels have been fabricated in a silicon (Si) substrate and in an aluminium oxide (Al2O3) membrane. Silicon nanochannels with diameter of 100 nm and height of 300 μm have been produced by metal-assisted chemical etching process (MACE), while nanochannels with the dimensions of the 10 nm and 3 μm respectively, were fabricated in a Al2O3 membrane by the anodic aluminum oxidation (AAO) process. Moreover, a novel approach of thermally nanofluidic energy harvesting was proposed and conducted. This investigation may open new opportunities for the future thermoelectric generators based on ionic transport in nanochannels.
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| Free Research Field |
Nanoengineering
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
The harvested power in this work could be used as a green energy source to power wireless IoT sensing systems. Between 2020 and 2023, I published 15 peer-reviewed journal articles, 1 book chapter and result achievement has been presented at over 10 international conferences.
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