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.

当前，可充电电池广泛用于电动设备。电池的使用正在大大增加，以满足便携式电子设备的快速增长数量和密度的需求。这种快速增长导致电池回收和替代的重大挑战，以及与电池制造和处置有关的环境问题。因此，开发环保替代能源收集方法有效地延长电池的寿命，甚至更换电池的寿命变得越来越紧迫。为了满足这一迫切需求，该研究项目正在研究一种新的高功率高效微流体能量清除技术，以将机械能量转换为电力。所提出的方法几乎可以在具有压力差的任何情况下运行。设想提出的环保方法是从人类运动中收回电力。人类的力量无处不在，丰富，环保，并且独立于气候和环境。对于战场，紧急情况和执法人员的使用以及平民，此类应用非常感兴趣，以便为广泛的便携式电子设备提供动力。这项技术具有转化为关键的社会和环境利益，例如由于电池的数量和能力降低而导致污染减少。与当地高中合作，PI开发了一个已经成功的夏令营。该项目的结果将用于一个营地的教育模块中，用于吸引高中学生在拉斯维加斯内华达大学的工程中，该大学的拉丁裔人口众多。该项目探讨了超血液表面在能量转化中的应用。使用合并的理论和实验方法，该项目的核心目标是：（1）从根本上理解超级恐惧症表面上的电动动力学，并且（2）探索这些现象，以设计新的微流体能量转换设备，以高效和高功率密度，使用超高含量的高度密度，并使用超级高滴虫层面。这项提出的技术利用了以下发现，即与传统的光滑表面相比，超级吞噬表面上的转换效率和功率密度可以大大增强。但是，关于超吞噬表面上能量转化的工作很少。在这个项目中，采用了一个集成理论，计算和实验的程序，目的是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度极化。这些因素在以前的建模工作中被忽略了，但对于实际应用至关重要。此外，PI将测量超吞噬表面上的功率密度直接测试理论。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。提出的协调理论和实验方法将使PI能够探索超超吞噬表面上各种物理现象（不均匀的表面传导，浓度极化和相关的扩散性渗透流）的丰富行为。了解这些重要现象肯定会推进电动学方面的基本知识，并为超级恐惧症的系统的合理设计奠定了坚实的基础。 PI配备了大大改善的理解，还建议使用微流体大规模整合方法将数千个通道整合到微流体芯片中，以证明转换方法在为小型电子设备提供动力方面的可行性。