LOW-COST POLYMER MATERIALS FOR EFFICIENT WAST HEAT RECLAMATION

Zhenan Bao, chemical engineering; Kenneth Goodson, mechanical engineering

Thermoelectricity, the direct conversion of heat into electrical power, can be used to reclaim otherwise wasted thermal energy from cars, factories and power plants. However, conventional thermoelectric devices are made of exotic and expensive materials. This project will test novel polymers that can be used to develop efficient, low-cost thermoelectric devices at scale.