Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FAST-SMART (FAST and Nano-Enabled SMART Materials, Structures and Systems for Energy Harvesting)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-10-01 bis 2023-03-31
Using ambient energy that would otherwise be lost such as heat, light or sound, energy harvesting is well known for its applications in solar cells. Moreover, the technology has numerous new innovative uses, thanks to recent digital trends, including the Internet of Things. The wider implementation of energy-harvesting technologies hinges on the availability of reliable materials that can be recycled and are based on earth-abundant elements as well as on efficient manufacturing processes. The overall goal of the EU-funded FAST-SMART project is to apply novel manufacturing techniques on a large scale which are recently developed by project members for synthesising smart nanomaterials for energy harvesting. The development of piezoelectric (PE) and thermoelectric (TE) materials using earth-abundant elements and highly efficient synthesis/manufacturing processes is expected to enhance material-supply resilience, reduce impacts on the environment, improve processing efficiency and reduce overall material costs.
During the first two project periods, the consortium has continued to update its technological development strategy. To better guide the project’s developments in materials, manufacturing and energy harvester designs, the consortium has performed life-cycle analysis and life-cycle cost analysis on both benchmark materials and devices and that being developed by the project. These generated useful information on the key factors to be considered as well as further opportunities for the project to improve its design and development works.
The project’s 2nd period saw the further improvement of the process capability and efficiency as well as quality of the materials. Using the facilities enhanced and processes optimised three batches of lead-free piezo-electric materials (BCZT) have been produced through the Hydrothermal synthesis, Silicide and Hf-Free Half Heusler thermoelectrical materials through High Energy Ball Milling, and CVD coating of Magnesium silicide (MgSi) on Carbon nanotube (CNT) thermoelectric nanofibers (flexible thermoelectric materials) respectively. These have been subjected to two rounds of material characterisation and analysis, which have confirmed the process performance and material quality expected for the project’s application tests, forming a basis for the next-stage of using these materials for producing demonstrators of the energy harvesting devices.
Further significant achievements were the design and construction of the first double-acting machine system for mass production of PE and TE parts and modules from powder through electrical-field-activated sintering and micro-forming, targeting short processing time, material nano-structure preservation, automated production and lower manufacturing cost. A new die design was also invented which enables powder sintering with higher temperature while avoiding the damages of the tooling during the FAST sintering, To assist in the part manufacturing and module assembly, surface-treatments of the thermoelectric elements to improve their efficiency (ZT value) through high ion-current-density magnetron sputtering have successfully performed. Correspondingly, two new flexible thermoelectric device configurations in the form of thin films and nanofibers were also created. Further, treatments of the TE elements by nanocomposite and PVD CrSi/CrSi(O) coatings for high-temperature applications were also successfully achieved.
To demonstrate the applications of smart materials and structures, three kinds of energy harvesters have been developed, namely: Nonlinear structure piezoelectric energy harvesters, Smart hybrid PV/TE panels, and Thermoelectric energy harvesters for hybrid automobiles, and a series of the tests, characterisations and validations carried out. The associated developments have been to use the energy harvesters to power sensors to demonstrate the potential of creating self-sustained structural health and environment monitoring systems, being supported by IoT, with a view to supporting DSM (Digital Single Market).
At the same time, small-scale recycling trials on all TE materials produced within the project have been conducted. A de-coating process, which can be applied to the coated parts of the TE modules, has also been identified, and a reuse strategy based on a closed-loop value chain model developed, including the production of refurbished TE parts/modules suitable for energy harvesting applications based on recycled raw materials.
The project’s 2nd period saw the further improvement of the process capability and efficiency as well as quality of the materials. Using the facilities enhanced and processes optimised three batches of lead-free piezo-electric materials (BCZT) have been produced through the Hydrothermal synthesis, Silicide and Hf-Free Half Heusler thermoelectrical materials through High Energy Ball Milling, and CVD coating of Magnesium silicide (MgSi) on Carbon nanotube (CNT) thermoelectric nanofibers (flexible thermoelectric materials) respectively. These have been subjected to two rounds of material characterisation and analysis, which have confirmed the process performance and material quality expected for the project’s application tests, forming a basis for the next-stage of using these materials for producing demonstrators of the energy harvesting devices.
Further significant achievements were the design and construction of the first double-acting machine system for mass production of PE and TE parts and modules from powder through electrical-field-activated sintering and micro-forming, targeting short processing time, material nano-structure preservation, automated production and lower manufacturing cost. A new die design was also invented which enables powder sintering with higher temperature while avoiding the damages of the tooling during the FAST sintering, To assist in the part manufacturing and module assembly, surface-treatments of the thermoelectric elements to improve their efficiency (ZT value) through high ion-current-density magnetron sputtering have successfully performed. Correspondingly, two new flexible thermoelectric device configurations in the form of thin films and nanofibers were also created. Further, treatments of the TE elements by nanocomposite and PVD CrSi/CrSi(O) coatings for high-temperature applications were also successfully achieved.
To demonstrate the applications of smart materials and structures, three kinds of energy harvesters have been developed, namely: Nonlinear structure piezoelectric energy harvesters, Smart hybrid PV/TE panels, and Thermoelectric energy harvesters for hybrid automobiles, and a series of the tests, characterisations and validations carried out. The associated developments have been to use the energy harvesters to power sensors to demonstrate the potential of creating self-sustained structural health and environment monitoring systems, being supported by IoT, with a view to supporting DSM (Digital Single Market).
At the same time, small-scale recycling trials on all TE materials produced within the project have been conducted. A de-coating process, which can be applied to the coated parts of the TE modules, has also been identified, and a reuse strategy based on a closed-loop value chain model developed, including the production of refurbished TE parts/modules suitable for energy harvesting applications based on recycled raw materials.
FAST-SMART consortium has a continuous road mapping activity during the project life to monitor the state of the art of the scientific and technological developments and applications in the fields relevant to the project, which is to ensure, by the end of the project, our progress is still beyond the state of the art, in both smart materials, structures and systems for energy harvesting applications.
To date, the newly developed materials, manufacturing processes and equipment, and three types of energy harvesters, still represent the state of the art in the relevant fields, and these have clearly demonstrated the advances beyond the state of the art.
Technologically, the consortium will demonstrate new material technologies and new energy harvesting device designs towards more reliable, flexible and low-cost applications. Technological barriers identified for RE-free energy harvesting material synthesis, corresponding part manufacturing processes and equipment, and integration of the parts/structures into the efficient energy harvesting devices, will be overcome by the proposed developments, which will represent significant technological advances in the relevant fields.
Scientifically, the consortium will make contribution to the new knowledge concerning: (i). fundamentals of the materials synthesis for lead-free Piezoelectric (PE) materials and Hf-free half-heusler alloy Thermoelectric (TE) materials; (ii). the mechanisms of FAST sintering of PE/TE nano-materials and structures; (iii). effects of nano-structured superlattice films, graphene or graphene oxide coating and PVD CrSi/CrSi(O) coatings on the TE module performance and efficiency; and (iv). mechanical-electrical and thermo-electrical dynamics properties of energy harvesting devices. These will lead to enhancement to the existing theory in the relevant fields.
Socially and economically, the FAST-SAMRT’s developments have great innovation potential, exampled by its high-quality and low-cost materials, high-efficiency micro-manufacturing processes and novel and robust energy harvesting products. The market perspectives for the respective materials, manufacturing services and products, are also high, which could lead to significant economic gains for its participants and future collaborators. Due to the development of more robust, flexible, efficient and low-cost energy harvesting technology and products that are directly applicable to the IoT/DSM related uses, it is expected that the FAST-SMART’s effort will help to speed up applications of networked wireless sensors nodes in Europe in almost all the sectors and domestic uses. At the same time, the deployment of the new materials, highly efficient processing technologies and energy harvesting devices would also lead to significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and hazardous wastes.
To date, the newly developed materials, manufacturing processes and equipment, and three types of energy harvesters, still represent the state of the art in the relevant fields, and these have clearly demonstrated the advances beyond the state of the art.
Technologically, the consortium will demonstrate new material technologies and new energy harvesting device designs towards more reliable, flexible and low-cost applications. Technological barriers identified for RE-free energy harvesting material synthesis, corresponding part manufacturing processes and equipment, and integration of the parts/structures into the efficient energy harvesting devices, will be overcome by the proposed developments, which will represent significant technological advances in the relevant fields.
Scientifically, the consortium will make contribution to the new knowledge concerning: (i). fundamentals of the materials synthesis for lead-free Piezoelectric (PE) materials and Hf-free half-heusler alloy Thermoelectric (TE) materials; (ii). the mechanisms of FAST sintering of PE/TE nano-materials and structures; (iii). effects of nano-structured superlattice films, graphene or graphene oxide coating and PVD CrSi/CrSi(O) coatings on the TE module performance and efficiency; and (iv). mechanical-electrical and thermo-electrical dynamics properties of energy harvesting devices. These will lead to enhancement to the existing theory in the relevant fields.
Socially and economically, the FAST-SAMRT’s developments have great innovation potential, exampled by its high-quality and low-cost materials, high-efficiency micro-manufacturing processes and novel and robust energy harvesting products. The market perspectives for the respective materials, manufacturing services and products, are also high, which could lead to significant economic gains for its participants and future collaborators. Due to the development of more robust, flexible, efficient and low-cost energy harvesting technology and products that are directly applicable to the IoT/DSM related uses, it is expected that the FAST-SMART’s effort will help to speed up applications of networked wireless sensors nodes in Europe in almost all the sectors and domestic uses. At the same time, the deployment of the new materials, highly efficient processing technologies and energy harvesting devices would also lead to significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and hazardous wastes.