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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The hypothesis of this research is that using carbon-based nanomaterials (CBN) electrodes in a microscale thermionic energy conversion (TEC) device operated at modest pressures will increase both the power density and conversion efficiency of TEC devices. For this NASA Fellowship, I will work to improve the performance of thermionic energy converters for space applications by investigating the fundamental physics of CBN-enhanced microscale thermionic energy conversion. I will focus my research efforts on the development and characterization of CBN as thermionic emitters, the development of microscale TEC devices, and the prediction of CBN-enhanced microscale TEC using particle-based simulation models. This work will increase the understanding of the complex interaction between ions and thermionic emission, and push them further toward the development of functional TEC devices.
This work will increase the understanding of the complex interaction between ions and thermionic emission, and push them further toward the development of functional thermionic energy conversion (TEC) devices.
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