Super-Hydrophobic Surface Enabled Microfluidic Energy Conversion

超疏水表面实现微流体能量转换

基本信息

批准号：
1509866
负责人：
Hui Zhao
金额：
$ 27.67万
依托单位：
University of Nevada Las Vegas
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2015
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2015-09-01 至 2019-08-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1509866&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Super Hydrophobic Surface Enabled Microfluidic

项目摘要

Currently, rechargeable batteries are widely used to power electronic devices. The use of batteries is increasing significantly to meet the demand of the rapidly growing number and density of portable electronic devices. Such rapid growth results in major challenges in recycling and replacement of batteries, and environmental concerns related both to manufacturing and disposal of batteries. Therefore, the development of an eco-friendly alternative energy harvesting method to effectively extend the lifetime of batteries or even replace them becomes increasingly urgent. To meet this urgent need, the research project is investigating a new high-power high-efficiency microfluidic energy scavenging technology to convert mechanical energy into electricity. The proposed method can operate virtually in any situation having a pressure difference. The proposed eco-friendly method is envisioned to recover electricity from human locomotion. Human power is ubiquitous and abundant, environmentally friendly and independent of climate and environment. Such applications are of high interest to military for the usage on the battlefield or emergency and law enforcement personnel as well as civilians to power a broad range of portable electronic devices. This technology has the potential of translating into critical social and environmental benefits, such as decreased pollution due to the reduction in the amount and capacity of batteries. In partnership with local high schools, the PI has developed an already successful summer camp. Results from the project will be used in educational modules for a camp used to attract high school students to engineering at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, which has a large Latino population. This project explores the application of super-hydrophobic surfaces for energy conversion. Using a combined theoretical and experimental approach, the central goals of the project are to: (1) fundamentally understand electrokinetics over super-hydrophobic surfaces, and (2) explore these phenomena in order to design new microfluidic energy-conversion devices with high efficiency and high power density, using super-hydrophobic surfaces. This proposed technology capitalizes on the finding that conversion efficiency and power density over a super-hydrophobic surface can be greatly enhanced compared to a traditional smooth surface. However, very little work has been reported on energy conversion over super-hydrophobic surfaces. In this project, a program integrating theory, computation and experiment is employed with the aim of bridging this fundamental knowledge gap. The PI will employ a mathematical model accounting for surface conduction and concentration polarization. These factors have been neglected in previous modeling efforts but are essential for practical applications. In addition, the PI will measure the power density over super-hydrophobic surfaces to directly test theories. In turn, the validated model will guide the experimental design as well as engineer the performance of energy conversion. The proposed coordinated theoretical and experimental approach will allow the PI to explore the rich behavior of a variety of physical phenomena (non-uniform surface conduction, concentration polarization, and associated diffusio-osmotic flows) over super-hydrophobic surfaces. Understanding of these important phenomena will surely advance the fundamental knowledge in electrokinetics and lay a solid foundation for the rational design of super-hydrophobic-surface-enabled systems. Equipped with a much improved understanding, the PI also proposes to use the microfluidic large-scale integration method to integrate thousands of channels into a microfluidic chip to demonstrate the feasibility of the conversion method in powering small electronic devices.

目前，可充电电池广泛用于为电子设备供电。电池的使用正在显着增加，以满足便携式电子设备数量和密度快速增长的需求。如此快速的增长导致了电池回收和更换方面的重大挑战，以及与电池制造和处置相关的环境问题。因此，开发一种环保的替代能源收集方法来有效延长电池的使用寿命甚至替代它们变得越来越紧迫。为了满足这一迫切需求，该研究项目正在研究一种新型大功率高效微流控能量采集技术，将机械能转化为电能。所提出的方法实际上可以在任何具有压力差的情况下操作。所提出的环保方法有望从人类运动中回收电力。人类的力量无处不在且丰富，对环境友好且不受气候和环境的影响。此类应用对于在战场上使用的军方或紧急情况和执法人员以及为各种便携式电子设备供电的平民非常感兴趣。该技术有可能转化为重要的社会和环境效益，例如由于电池数量和容量的减少而减少污染。 PI 与当地高中合作，举办了一个已经取得成功的夏令营。该项目的结果将用于一个营地的教育模块，该营地用于吸引高中生进入拉斯维加斯内华达大学工程系，该大学拥有大量拉丁裔人口。该项目探索超疏水表面在能量转换中的应用。利用理论和实验相结合的方法，该项目的中心目标是：（1）从根本上了解超疏水表面的动电学，以及（2）探索这些现象，以设计具有高效率和高效率的新型微流体能量转换装置。高功率密度，采用超疏水表面。这项提出的技术利用了这样的发现：与传统的光滑表面相比，超疏水表面的转换效率和功率密度可以大大提高。然而，关于超疏水表面能量转换的工作报道很少。在该项目中，采用了一个集理论、计算和实验于一体的程序，旨在弥合这一基本知识差距。 PI 将采用数学模型来解释表面传导和浓差极化。这些因素在以前的建模工作中被忽略，但对于实际应用至关重要。此外，PI还将测量超疏水表面的功率密度，以直接测试理论。反过来，经过验证的模型将指导实验设计并设计能量转换的性能。所提出的协调理论和实验方法将使 PI 能够探索超疏水表面上各种物理现象（非均匀表面传导、浓差极化和相关的扩散渗透流）的丰富行为。对这些重要现象的理解必将推进动电学的基础知识，并为超疏水表面系统的合理设计奠定坚实的基础。有了更大的理解，PI还提出使用微流控大规模集成方法将数千个通道集成到微流控芯片中，以证明该转换方法为小型电子设备供电的可行性。