[Env seminars] Seminar - Nanotech & Energy - March 23, 2006

[Beth Conlin]

MNSS: The Micro/Nano-technology Seminar Series

 

 

So, what does nanotechnology have to do with energy?

 

Prof. Gang Chen

Mechanical Engineering Department, MIT

 

 

Abstract

 

Nanotechnology focuses on small scale effects. Energy is a global issue.
Despite such disparities, there is a growing awareness that nanoscience and
nanotechnology can have a profound impact on energy generation, storage, and
utilization by exploiting the significant differences of energy states and
transport between nanostructures and macrostructures. In this talk, I will
begin with a few examples regarding the exploitation of nanoscale effects
for solar energy conversion, hydrogen storage, and will move on to the
exploration of size effects for thermoelectric energy conversion. We will
show that by exploring the interface scattering of electrons and phonons,
the thermoelectric figure of merit can be improved in nanocomposites. Recent
work on characterization of thermoelectric properties of individual
nanowires and nanotubes will also be discussed.

 

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Upcoming speakers:

 

April 6 Dr. John Kitching, NIST, Boulder, "MicroChip Atomic Clocks" **
(begins at 4pm)

April 20            Dr. David Soane, Chairman & CEO, Soane Labs LLC,
"Nanotechnology Applications for Mature Industries"

May 4              Best Student Thesis Presentation

 

Except where noted, all talks begin at 3pm in the Grier Conference Room,
34-401B (http:// whereis.mit.edu/map-jpg?selection=34&Buildings=go, 50
Vassar St.)**

 

 

SPONSORS

MIT . Microsystems Technology Laboratories |  <http://www.mtl.mit.edu/>
www.mtl.mit.edu

            . Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT |
<http://www.rle.mit.edu/> www.rle.mit.edu

            . Department of Mechanical Engineering | www-me.mit.edu

MGH . Center for Engineering in Medicine,

BioMEMS Resource Center |  <http://cem.sbi.org/nv/Home.asp>
http://cem.sbi.org/nv/Home.asp

 

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Analog Devices/Lilliputian Systems/ MicroCHIPS/ BioScale/Living
Microsystems/Advanced MicroSensors/IntelliSense/CellPoint Diagnostics/
Pixtronix/Polychromix

 

 

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