On Chip Power Generation

On-chip power generation is being implemented in our lab by using a direct thermal-to-electric energy conversion system. Microfluidic-based reactors with integrated micropillars were fabricated on silicon wafer with optical lithography and deep reactive-ion etching. Such structures possess much higher surface-area-to-volume-ratio as well as heat and mass transfer coefficients. After functionalization of Platinum nanoparticles onto those micropillars and sealing with a borofloat glass cover on top, such reactor would serve as catalytic microcombustor for methanol vapor/air gas mixture and promising heat source for commercial thermoelectric module.