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Introduction: Nano and Energy
The big picture
The United States consumes primary energy at a rate of
approximately 3.3 x 1012
W (3.3 terawatts). On a more human scale, for every US
resident
this averages out to approximately:
- 11 kW (15 hp) of continuous energy consumption per person,
nonstop.
- Oil imports: 5.4 L (1.4 gal) per person, per day
- CO2 emissions: 54 kg (25 lbs) per
person, per
day
The conversion efficiencies of most sectors are far below the
fundamental requirements of the laws of thermodynamics, so there is
abundant room for improved technologies. For
example, in the transportation sector only about 20% of the
fuel
energy is applied usefully, with the remaining 700 GW rejected as waste
heat. Fuel economy, renewable energy, and
efficient power plants are several of the handful of strategies with
the potential to make a major difference in global energy
consumption and its impacts. (References: LLNL, EIA)
The nano picture
Various physical phenomena cause the properties of nanostructures to
differ from their bulk counterparts. These phenomena affect
how nanostructures transport, store, convert, and
dissipate energy. This is important for a broad range
of energy applications including thermoelectrics,
photovoltaics, hydrogen storage, and thermal management of
microelectronics. For example, the transport of heat
along a nanowire can be many times slower than in a bulk material,
which is bad for microelectronic devices but is quite exciting for
thermoelectric energy conversion.
Our focus is (1) to develop a deeper understanding of the fundamental
mechanisms of heat and energy transport and conversion in
nanostructures, and
(2) to apply this understanding to technologies ranging from
thermoelectric energy conversion to thermal management.
Please explore the research
pages to get some idea of the experimental and theoretical
methods we apply.
