Nanocellulose-conducting aerogels for thermoelectric application

• Grant number: 19/24009-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: February 28, 2020
• End date: February 27, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Sanchez Farinas
• Grantee: Stanley Endrigo Bilatto Rodrigues
• Supervisor: Stuart John Rowan
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Chicago, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/10899-4 - Utilization of residual lignocellulosic biomass from 2G ethanol processing to obtain nanocellulose via enzymatic route, BP.PD

Abstract

Thermoelectric devices interconvert heat and electricity, leading to a more sustainable, cleaner and safer energy technologies. Traditional inorganic thermoelectrics materials are restricted by rigid geometries and use of expensive components with low earth abundance. Highly porous nanocellulose aerogel feature exceptional thermal insulators and, in combination with conductive polymers, have particular interest for application next-generation of environmentally friendly energy conversion technologies as thermoeletric materials. The current proposal aims to develop nanocellulose aerogels using conductive polymers doped with graphene quantum dots to construct thermoelectric devices with silent operation, readily synthesized, air stable, good flexibility, ease of manufacture and comparatively long lifetimes. (AU)