[E&E seminars] Nano-Energy Seminar Today, 3-4 PM, Rm 3-370

[Karen Gibson]

Mechanical Engineering Department Seminar
Nanomaterials Manufacturing  for Mechanical and Energy Applications

Prof. Z. F. Ren
Department of Physics
Boston College

Thursday, May 21, 2009

3-4 PM

Room 3-370


Abstract
Nanomaterials have many potential applications in mechanical and  
energy systems due to their special structural and physical  
properties.  Such applications often require large scale materials  
manufacturing at a low cost.  In this talk, I will discuss three  
topical areas where nanomaterials can be manufactured at large scale  
and their potential applications: 1) manufacturing of carbon nanotubes  
and other nanomaterials and their mechanical properties, 2) a new  
nanoscale design for potentially high efficiency solar photovoltaic  
cells, and 3) high performance nanostructured thermoelectric materials  
for solid-state energy conversion between heat and electricity. In  
area 1, I will describe our discovery of growing aligned carbon  
nanotube arrays, controlling their diameter, length, orientation,  
location, and site density; and our in-situ TEM study of the  
mechanical deformation and superplasticity of CNTs.  The oriented CNTs  
led to a novel concept of nano coax for high efficiency solar energy  
conversion by making the photon and carrier travel perpendicularly.   
Such a device configuration promises high efficiency. Finally, I will  
demonstrate our recent success on large scale manufacturing of  
nanostructured thermoelectric materials with improved thermoelectric  
figure of merit via a nanocomposite approach, and elaborate the  
potential of using these enhanced materials for energy conversion  
between heat and electricity.
Refreshments will be served before the seminar.

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