Switchable Organic Thermal Elements
Abstract
Short Work Statement: -Thrust 1: Thermal switching with first order phase transitionsTask 1: Thermal switching measurementsTask 2: Chemical synthesis of sidechain variationsTask 3: Temperature dependent measurementsTask 4: Variation switching measurementTask 5: Analysis of propagon and diffuson contributions andThrust 2: Thermal switching with second order phase transitionsTask 6: Fabrication of multilayer polymer structuresTask 7: Thermal switching measurementsTask 8: Structural variationsTask 9: Variation switching measurementsThrust 3: Thermal switching with spatially and dynamically controlled dopingTask 10: Selection of polymers, dopants, etc.Task 11: Thermal switching measurementsTask 12: Variation measurements with dopants, etc.Task 13: Analysis of propagon and diffuson contributions ABSTRACT: Prof. Shannon Yee at the Georgia Institute of Technology proposes a fundamental and innovative ONR-YIP project entitled ~Switchable Organic Thermal Elements,~ that will examine thermal transport processes in organic materials and the degree to which the thermal conductivity can by dynamically changed. This research could enable new forms of thermal regulations, which have application across the electronics cooling and thermal management domains. In this work, Dr. Yee proposes exploring three fundamental mechanisms, namely 1st and 2nd order phase transitions, and spatial and dynamic doping of organic dielectric polymers, as high potential routes to achieve large, solid-state thermal switching (>200%) actuated on device-relevant time scales (~ms-s). The particular scientific interest of this work is to understand: (i) how vibrons (i.e., heat carriers in amorphous solids), namely propagons and diffusons, cross interfaces in organic materials, (ii) howpropagon behavior changes within a single material that switches between being a monomer crystal to a polymer crystal, and (iii) how doping effects the vibronic, electronic, and ionic contributions to the thermal conductivity in organic materials. Through this effort Dr. Yee hopes to establish structure-property-processing relationships that can be used to control thermal transport functionality in organic materials. Outcomes of this work include improved thermal characterization of organic materials, improved thermal metrology techniques well-suited for characterizing amorphous materials, and an assessment of capabilities enabled by dynamic, organic thermal switching elements. Throughout his career, Prof. Yee intends to further the fundamental knowledge of thermal transport in molecular, polymer, and organic materials that has relevance for future naval electronic technologies (e.g., thermally conducting polymer encapsulates, polymer packaging, polymer thermal interface materials, etc.). While it is difficult to quantify the direct impact that fundamental research will have across DoD capabilities, history suggests that thermal management will be an on-going technical challenge with the miniaturization of electronics for the DoD. Thermal transport in organic materials will grow over the next several decades as: (i) wearable electronics, (ii) light-weighting of autonomous vehicles, and (iii) polymeric-compounds in energy storage (e.g., batteries) for DoD applications continue to grow. This proposed work will provide the fundamental scientific underpinning that are necessary tosolve future thermal management problems that utilize polymers or other organic compounds. The total funding request from ONR for this forward-thinking project is $750k over three years; $500k for a two-year period with $250k for a third year.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 25, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912162
Entities
People
- Shannon K Yee
Organizations
- Georgia Tech Research Corporation
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy