The project �Materiali di Frontiera per usi energetici� is focused on studying materials and technologies for the energy sector. The two main themes in the project are: energy harvesting (WP1 and WP2) and 3D printing (WP3 and WP4).
Industrial processes lead to a dispersion in the environment of high amounts of thermal energy in the form of hot flows generally in the gaseous and liquid form. The possibility of exploit these energy forms represents a challenge for the research that could be overcome through the development of materials thermo and pyroelectric as bulk and thin films for the production of generators. A large-scale application of thermoelectric generators (TEG) requires the realization of components based on efficient materials with low cost production processes.
The activities foreseen in WP1 will be focused on the study bulk and thin film materials with good functional characteristics and low environmental impact through the development and implementation of conventional and unconventional fabrication techniques with features of low cost, environmental-energetic sustainability and strong industrial scalability (figure 1). In WP2, exploratory thermoelectric and pyroelectric modules at the solid state will be designed, tested and validated on the laboratory scale. In the case of thermoelectric materials, interconnections between active materials will be studied and different circuit geometries and architectures for the realization of proof of concept devices will be tested (figure 2).
In particular, it is planned to realize TEG with inorganic or hybrid thin film with low power (in the nW- �W range with temperature differences of a few degrees centigrade), adaptable to energy sources and with good stability in the temperature range below 200 � C, and prototypes of pyroelectric generators with pyroceramic components.
WP3 and WP4 are focused on different aspects of Additive Manufacturing, mainly considering the possibility of integrating or substituting traditional manufacturing process, i.e. subtractive and foundry ones, for the realization of components for energy applications. A part of the activities will be focused on development of metal composites 3D printing processes for metal alloy components, starting from polymer based composited, considering both the two aspects related to binders and charges. Moreover a plasma atomization machine, designed in ENEA, will be used to realize powders, even with customized composition, for AM processes, as charges for composites and slurries and for powder bed or direct deposition.
One of the aims of the project, starting from previous activities, is in fact the realization by 3D printing of an heat exchanger, for its use in absorption machines for solar cooling and heating systems based on ammonia-water cycles and for home use. The realization of heat exchangers in polymeric composite (figure 3) materials with micro and nano charges, will be considered also for less severe conditions and for the optimization of the heat exchanger design before brinting the heat exchanger in metal alloy (figure 4). A new alloy was also designed and manufactured with properties suitable for use in highly alkaline environments, for the construction of heat exchangers using 3D printing.
Another activity in the project will be the optimization of 3D printable feedstocks for advanced ceramic components. Printable ceramic pastes, with optimized rheological properties, will be formulated for 3D printing based on material extrusion and in particular for Liquid Deposition Modeling (LDM) process. The printing strategy and thermal treatments will be optimized up to obtain sintered components, demonstrating the effectiveness of the 3D printing process. The advanced ceramic components will be properly designed as promising to improve the working temperature and the efficiency of energy production processes based on biomasses (figure 5).
INSTM, UNIBO, UNINA, UNIROMA1, UNISA, UNISalento are also involved in the project.