22-12-2012, 04:28 PM
Graphene Coated Microchannels for Electrokinetic Energy Conversion:
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Graphene Coated Microchannels.docx (Size: 157.74 KB / Downloads: 22)
General Description:
Graphene is the award-winning wonder material which led to the Nobel Prize in Physics 2010 being awarded jointly to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov "for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene." Graphene is a two-dimensional monolayer of carbon atoms, and has been developed very recently, immediately attracting a great deal of scientific attention. Their unique physical, optical, mechanical properties have numerous potential applications in areas like nanoelectronics, sensors, transistors, batteries, MEMS/NEMS as well as conducting polymers.
Streaming potential generated by the pressure driven flow in microchannels can be harnessed to produce electrical energy. The hydrophobic nature of graphene surface enables it to possess an exceptional slip property, hence has the potential to improve the efficiency of electrokinetic energy conversion. A graphene-based microfluidic device is proposed to explore this novel energy conversion.
Scope of Work:
Ultra-large size graphene sheets will be produced from the bulk graphite flakes using the well-established exfoliation and expansion methods. These graphene sheets will be deposited layer-by-layer onto the micro-channel surface using the Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) deposition technique. The surface properties of graphene coating will be systematically controlled by doping the graphene with a range of functional agents.
An energy conversion device based on grapheme coated microchannels will be designed and fabricated. Streaming current and streaming potential will be characterized for pressure driven flow using a high pressure controller. The energy conversion efficiency will be estimated.