Materials for Energy

Catalog description

The course begins with a history of our understanding and utilization of different sources of energy and a review of thermodynamics. In all cases, the most effective materials used are discussed as well as the relevant fundamental equations used and approaches for improving the figure-of-merit. The 5 different forms of energy are introduced - mechanical, electromagnetic, thermal, chemical, and nuclear - and discussed. Materials and techniquesused for energy applications are discussed including thermoelectrics, fossil fuels, nanoparticles, different approaches for energy storage, fuel cells, nuclear energy (fission and fusion), energy biological systems - from cellular scale and ATP and catabolism/anabolism to biomass conversion, and magnetohydrodyanmics. Techniques for energy conversion, biomimetics, energy and the environment and material issues for energy transformation are discussed. The sun is also discussed as a source of energy for photosynthesis, photovoltaics, and photothermal power generation.