Thermopower wave in core-shell structures of carbon nanotube chemical fuels

Abstract

There is considerable interest in developing energy sources capable of larger power densities. In our previous works, we proved that by coupling an exothermic chemical reaction with 1D nanostructures, a self-propagating reactive wave can be driven along its length with a concomitant electrical pulse of high specific power, which we identified as a thermopower wave. Herein, we discuss details about many different aspects of a thermopower wave. Different alignment degree in vertically aligned CNT films is evaluated in the reactive wave speed and correlated with its thermal reaction that affects the change in the magnitude of energy generation. The effects of the temperature-dependent properties of chemical fuels and CNTs are evaluated. Furthermore, we explore the convection and radiation portions in this thermal wave as well as the synchronization between the thermal reaction transfer and the oscillation of the electrical signal. © 2013 The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers.