Functional thin films for thermal management applications for flexibles

The drive to manufacture functional thin films and devices (e.g. for wearable technologies) at low cost requires the design of novel approaches for processing suitable functional materials, such as nanomaterials. Polymer-dispersed nanomaterials provide a possible route to thermal management solutions. The project will explore the formulation and printing of a nano-particle-dispersed monomer for in-situ polymerization for thin film thermal management applications.  One application example is that of thin film thermoelectric generators (TEG): we have developed stacked TEG devices using a combination of metals, inorganic semicondutors and insulating polymer layers to give a flexible device to power electronics such as sensing circuits.  TEGs rely on a differential temperature, so high thermal conductivity is required at one end of the device, and good thermal insulation at the other.  Thus, the required local thermal management should be incorporated within a flexible device structure with the blending of nanomaterials and polymers.

 

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