(191g) Leveraging Molecular and Quantum Confinement in Arrayed Nanostructures for Energy Technologies

Structural- and energy-based anisotropy in nanomaterials can enhance the material’s ability to store, transport or convert energy. As a result, researchers have demonstrated that nanomaterials can have advantageous properties relative to their bulk material. For example, transport mechanisms can be selectively tuned by altering nanostructure geometry. Many novel lab-scale experiments have demonstrated this phenomenon and how it can be used to enhance device performance. However, assembly of nanostructures at the device-scale while maintaining the property enhancement is the dominant engineering challenge. Mainstream Engineering is currently developing several nanomaterial-based energy conversion and storage technologies with a focus on device manufacturability. We will highlight our current efforts to not only fabricate nanomaterials with unique and advantageous properties, but also assemble these nanostructures in a configuration that maintains the properties at macro-scale. Using template-directed assembly of nanoparticles and wires, we will discuss their application to thermoelectric composites, hydrogen, oxygen and thermal energy storage, photovoltaics, as well as the development of electrode materials for electrochemical double layer capacitors.