This award supports fundamental research on electromagnetic force assisted centrifugal casting in order to develop a fast, scalable and low cost manufacturing process for making high performance thermoelectric energy conversion composite materials. Specifically, the research will develop a physics-based predictive model for coupled electromagnetic and mechanical forces in centrifugal casting thermoelectric nanoparticle-containing semiconducting polymers with a newly designed rotary machine and conduct experiments to verify the model, test the hypothesis that incorporating nanoscale thermoelectric components into polymers to form complex composite structures will significantly enhance the energy conversion performance, evaluate the feasibility of using electromagnetic force assisted centrifugal casting to make thermoelectric energy conversion nanomaterials containing multilayer polymer/oxide nanotubes, establish the relationship between the energy conversion behavior and manufacturing conditions.
Research results will provide knowledge and understanding to meet the critical need of energy challenge for the nation. A globally competitive energy manufacturing industry will contribute to the nation's economy. Thermoelectric units with higher energy conversion efficiency and lower manufacturing cost will benefit consumers and the society. Research results will also enhance undergraduate students' learning in such courses as Independent Study and Senior Capstone Design. Training graduate students at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, a minority-serving institution, and outreaching to local high schools will be carried out to stimulate the interest of minority students in the field of energy sustainability.
