High-efficiency electrochemical thermal energy harvester using carbon nanotube aerogel sheet electrodes

Hyeongwook Im, Taewoo Kim, Hyelynn Song, Jongho Choi, Jae Sung Park, Raquel Ovalle-Robles, Hee Doo Yang, Kenneth D. Kihm, Ray H. Baughman, Hong H. Lee, Tae June Kang () and Yong Hyup Kim ()
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Hyeongwook Im: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University
Taewoo Kim: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University
Hyelynn Song: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University
Jongho Choi: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University
Jae Sung Park: Institute of Advanced Machinery and Design, Seoul National University
Raquel Ovalle-Robles: Nano-Science & Technology Center, Lintec of America, Inc.
Hee Doo Yang: College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University
Kenneth D. Kihm: Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee
Ray H. Baughman: Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas
Hong H. Lee: School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University
Tae June Kang: INHA University
Yong Hyup Kim: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Conversion of low-grade waste heat into electricity is an important energy harvesting strategy. However, abundant heat from these low-grade thermal streams cannot be harvested readily because of the absence of efficient, inexpensive devices that can convert the waste heat into electricity. Here we fabricate carbon nanotube aerogel-based thermo-electrochemical cells, which are potentially low-cost and relatively high-efficiency materials for this application. When normalized to the cell cross-sectional area, a maximum power output of 6.6 W m−2 is obtained for a 51 °C inter-electrode temperature difference, with a Carnot-relative efficiency of 3.95%. The importance of electrode purity, engineered porosity and catalytic surfaces in enhancing the thermocell performance is demonstrated.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10600

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