Creation of electrochemical Peltier devices

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21176
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 32:Physical chemistry, functional solid state chemistry, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: YAMADA Teppei 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 教授 (10404071)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 電気化学ペルチェ効果 / ホスト－ゲスト化学 / シクロデキストリン / 超分子科学 / 熱化学電池 / 熱電変換

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A thermocell is a type of thermoelectric device that converts temperature differences into electrical energy by utilizing entropy changes associated with redox equilibrium. The inverted reaction is called electrochemical Peltier effect, which produces a temperature difference by applying an electric current to this cell. We introduced various molecular techniques to the electrochemical Peltier effect. First, a measurement system was designed to demonstrate the electrochemical Peltier effect. Using this system, we succeeded in confirming a cooling effect of about 0.1 K in the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide system. We then applied this system to the I-/I3- system to demonstrate the electrochemical Peltier effect, and furthermore, we found the enhanced cooling effect by the introduction of a host molecule. This shows that the inclusion and elimination reactions are electrically induced, thereby realizing heat transport.

Free Research Field

無機化学、電気化学、超分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、超分子化学の観点からは、外部電気回路によりホスト-ゲスト化学反応を誘起できること、またホスト－ゲスト化学反応の反応熱を電子冷却に利用できることを湿した点で新規性が高い。
また社会的には、温暖化に対して、部屋全体を冷却する代わりに局所的に冷却することでエアコンなどのエネルギーロスを減らす局所冷却技術に新たなデバイスを提案した点で意義が大きい。