Patrick E. Phelan
CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:
September 15, 2002
Expires:
August 31, 2007 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:
$1516914
Investigator(s):
Jimmy Davidson jim.davidson@vanderbilt.edu (Principal Investigator)
Charles Lukehart (Co-Principal Investigator) Greg Swain (Co-Principal Investigator) Timothy Fisher (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:
Vanderbilt University
Division of Sponsored Research
NASHVILLE, TN 37235 615/322-2631
NSF Program(s):
CERAMICS, DMR SHORT TERM SUPPORT, NANOSCALE: INTRDISCPL RESRCH T, THERMAL TRANSPORT PROCESSES
Field Application(s):
0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):
OTHR, 1674, 0000
Program Element Code(s):
1774, 1712, 1674, 1406
ABSTRACT
The proposal was submitted under Solicitation NSF 01-157 "Nanoscale Science and Engineering," under the Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) category. The research examines a novel concept for direct thermal-to-electrical power generation. The concept involves electron emission from arrays of carbon-based nanostructured emitters, such as carbon nanofibers and diamond nanotips. With characteristic dimensions of one to ten nanometers, these materials enable highly efficient electron emission and the possibility of quantum confinement effects that enhance the energy conversion process. However, the conversion of thermal energy to electrical energy using such structures has not been previously explored in detail. Specific research tasks include development of synthesis processes, material characterization and analysis, experimental and theoretical analyses of electron energy distributions, and characterization of energy conversion under practical conditions. In addition, the program will support trans-institutional education and training initiatives through a graduate student exchange program and a joint seminar series on nanotechnology to be held in conjunction with the MBA programs of the participating institutions, which include Vanderbilt, Purdue, and Michigan State. NSF support is being provided by the Chemical and Transport Systems Division and the Design, Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Division in the Engineering Directorate, and by the Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
A. Wisitsora-at, W.P. Kang, J.L. Davidson, D.V. Kerns, T.S. Fisher. "Diamond Field Emission Triode with Low Gate Turn-on Voltage and High Gain," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology-B, v.21, 2003, p. 614.
C. T. Harris, D.G. Walker, T.S. Fisher, W.H. Hofmeister. "Experimental Characterization of Anode Heating due to Electron Field Emission," Microscale Thermophysical Engineering, v.8, 2004, p. 101.
D.G. Walker, C.T. Harris, T.S. Fisher. "Estimation of Parameters in Thermal-Field Emission from Diamond," Diamond and Related Materials, v.14, 2005, p. 113.
D.G. Walker, W. Zhang, T.S. Fisher. "Simulation of Field-Emitted Electron Trajectories and Transport from Carbon Nanotubes," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, v.22, 2004, p. 1101.
Deb, P; Westover, T; Kim, H; Fisher, T; Sands, T. "Field emission from GaN and (Al,Ga)N/GaN nanorod heterostructures," JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY B, v.25, 2007, p. L15-L18.
Jiang Li, Matthew J. Vergne, Eric D. Mowles, David M. Hercules, and Charles M. Lukehart. "Surface Functionalization and Characterization of Graphitic Carbon Nanofibers (GCNFs)," Carbon, v.43, 2005, p. 2883.
K. Subramanian, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, and W. H. Hofmeister. "The Growth Aspects of Nanocrystalline Diamond Films and Their Effects on Electron Emissions," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, v.23(2), 2005, p. 2005.
K. Subramanian, W.P. Kang, J.L. Davidson, R.S. Takalkar, B.K. Choi, M. Howell, and D.V. Kerns. "Enhanced Electron Field Emission from Micropatterned Pyramidal Diamond Tips Incorporating CH4/H2/N2 Plasma-Deposited Nanodiamond," Diamond and Related Materials, v.15, 2006, p. 1126.
Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Wisitsora-At, A; Wong, YM; Takalkar, R; Holmes, K; Kerns, DV. "Diamond vacuum field emission devices," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.13, 2004, p. 1944-1948.
Lang Li and Charles M. Lukehart. "Synthesis of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Graphitic Carbon Nanofiber Polymer Brushes," Chem. Mater., v.18, 2006, p. 94.
Li, J; Lu, WJ; Robinson, VS; Fisher, TS; Lukehart, CML. "Enhanced mechanical robustness and chemical resistance of GCNF/SiC/carbon felt nanocomposites as field-emission materials," ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, v.229, 2005, p. U914-U914.
Li, J; Robinson, VS; Liu, Y; Lu, WJ; Fisher, TS; Lukehart, CM. "Synthesis and thermionic emission properties of graphitic carbon nanofibres supported on Si wafers or carbon felt," NANOTECHNOLOGY, v.18, 2007.
R. S. Takalkar, J. L. Davidson, W. P. Kang, A. Wisitsora-at, and D. V. Kerns. "Edge-Shaped Diamond Field Emission Arrays," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, v.23(2), 2005, p. 800.
R. S. Takalkar, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, B. K. Choi, W. H. Hofmeister, and K. Subramanian. "Field emission characteristics of diamond edge-shaped emitters fabricated using nitrogen-methane plasma," Diamond and Related Materials, v.15, 2006, p. 329.
Robinson, VS; Fisher, TS; Michel, JA; Lukehart, CM. "Work function reduction of graphitic nanofibers by potassium intercalation," APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, v.87, 2005.
Robinson, VS; Show, Y; Swain, GM; Reifenberger, RG; Fisher, TS. "Thermionic emission from surface-terminated nanocrystalline diamond," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.15, 2006, p. 1601-1608.
S. Wang and G. M. Swain. "Spatial Heterogeneity of the Electrical and Electrochemical Properties of Hydrogen-Terminated Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Thin Film Deposited from an Argon-Rich CH4/H2/Ar/B2H6 Source Gas Mixture," J. Phys. Chem. B., v.111, 2007, p. 3986.
S. Wei, W. P. Kang, W. H. Hofmeister, J.L. Davidson, Y. M. Wong, and J. H. Huang. "The Effects of Process Parameters on Size, Density, Structure, and Field Emission Properties of Pd-Catalyzed Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized by Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, v.23(2), 2005, p. 793.
S.H. Shin, T.S. Fisher, D.G. Walker, A.M. Strauss, W.P. Kang, J.L. Davidson. "High-Temperature Electron Emission from Diamond Films," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology-B, v.21, 2003, p. 587.
Subramanian, K; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Hofmeister, WH. "The effect of growth rate control on the morphology of nanocrystalline diamond," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.14, 2005, p. 404-410.
Subramanian, K; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Hofmeister, WH; Choi, BK; Howell, M. "Nanodiamond planar lateral field emission diode," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.14, 2005, p. 2099-2104.
Subramanian, K; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Jarvis, JD; Hofmeister, WH; Choi, BK; Howell, M. "Geometrical field enhancement on micropatterned nanodiamond film for electron emissions," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.15, 2006, p. 417-425.
T.S. Fisher and D.G. Walker. "Thermal and Electrical Energy Transport and Conversion in Nanoscale Electron Field Emission Processes," ASME Journal of Heat Transfer, v.124, 2002, p. 954.
T.S. Fisher, D.G. Walker, R.A. Weller. "Analysis and Simulation of Anode Heating from Electron Field Emission," IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies., v.26, 2003, p. 317.
Takalkar, RS; Davidson, JL; Kang, WP; Wisitsora-at, A. "Micropatterned diamond edge emitters of high aspect ratio," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.14, 2005, p. 692-696.
Takalkar, RS; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Choi, BK; Hofmeister, WH; Subramanian, K. "Field emission characteristics of diamond edge-shaped emitters fabricated using nitrogen-methane plasma," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.15, 2006, p. 329-333.
V. S. Robinson, T. S. Fisher, J. A. Michel, and C. M. Lukehart. "Work Function Reduction of Graphitic Nanofibers by Potassium Intercalation," Appl. Phys. Lett., v.87, 2005, p. 06150.
W. Hofmeister, W. P. Kang, Y. M. Wong, and J. L. Davidson. "Carbon Nanotube Growth from Cu-Co Alloys for Field Emission Applications," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, v.22, 2004, p. 1286.
W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, Y. M. Wong, and R. Takalkar. "Diamond and Carbon Derived Cold Cathodes ? The New Frontier of Vacuum Microelectronics," Ceramics International, v.30, 2004, p. 2045.
W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, Y. M. Wong, R. Takalkar, and D. V. Kerns. "Diamond and carbon derived field emission vacuum microelectronics," Journal of Diamond and Related Materials, v.14, 2005, p. 685.
Westover, T; Fisher, TS; Pfefferkorn, F. "Experimental characterization of anode heating by electron emission from a multi-walled carbon nanotube," INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER, v.50, 2007, p. 595-604.
Wong, YM; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Choi, BK; Hofmeister, W; Huang, JH. "Field emission triode amplifier utilizing aligned carbon nanotubes," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.14, 2005, p. 2069-2073.
Wong, YM; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Choi, BK; Hofmeister, W; Huang, JH. "Array geometry, size and spacing effects on field emission characteristics of aligned carbon nanotubes," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.14, 2005, p. 2078-2083.
Wong, YM; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Choi, BK; Hofmeister, W; Huang, JH. "Fabrication of aligned convex CNT field emission triode by MPCVD," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.15, 2006, p. 334-340.
Wong, YM; Kang, WP; Davidson, JL; Choi, BK; Huang, JH. "Growth and profile modification of carbon nanotubes designed for field emission applications by hydrogen plasma pretreatment," DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, v.15, 2006, p. 1132-1137.
Y. M. Wong, S. Wei, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, W. Hofmeister, J. H. Huang, and Y. Cui. "Carbon Nanotube Field Emission Devices Grown by Thermal CVD with Palladium as Catalysts," Diamond and Related Materials, v.13, 2004, p. 2105.
Y. M. Wong, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, A. Wisitsora-at, K. L. Soh, T.S. Fisher, Q. Li and J. F. Xu,. "Field Emitter using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Grown on Silicon Tip Region by Microwave Plasma-Enhanced CVD," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology-B, v.21, 2003, p. 391.
Y. M. Wong, W. P. Kang, J. L. Davidson, W. Hofmeister, S. Wei, and J. H. Huang. "Transistor Characteristics of Thermal CVD Carbon Nanotubes Field Emission Triode," Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B, v.23(2), 2005, p. 868.
