Dr. Tolga Aytug, a distinguished research staff member of the Chemical Sciences Division and distinguished Battelle inventor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will give a seminar titled "Carbon Nanomaterial Enabled Novel Ultra High Conductivity Cu Composites" to the interested faculty and students at Discovery Park.

Abstract

Growing demand for electrical energy and increasing need for high power grid systems necessitates development of new conductors for enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity. The power losses associated with the electrical resistance of Cu adversely impact the efficiency and performance of all electric devices. Ballistic electrical transport in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is expected to improve the conductivity of the Cu matrix with additional CNT-enabled benefits that can enable low-weight, flexibility, and better thermal management. By using scalable, cost-effective, and commercially viable processing methods we demonstrate a novel technological platform to produce high-performance conductors that incorporates CNTs into the Cu matrix ― ultra-conductive metal composites (UCC), which promise significant technological and economic impact in all energy sectors, ranging from electrical vehicles to power grid. Our technology platform is concentrated on Cu tapes and involves processes from production of stable CNT dispersions, ultrasonic spray/aerosol jet printing and electrospinning techniques to deposit shear induced aligned CNT coatings along the direction of the current flow, post thermal treatment procedures, and homogeneous deposition of Cu thin film overlayers onto CNT coated tapes. The fabricated prototype UCC composites exhibit improved electrical conductivity (by > 5%), higher current carrying capacity (> 10%), and higher mechanical strength (> 10%) compared to reference pure Cu.

Bio

Dr. Tolga Aytug is a distinguished research staff member of the Chemical Sciences Division and distinguished Battelle inventor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. in physics from The University of Kansas in 2000. His primary research interests focus on processing of advanced materials and thin film heterostructures using both physical and chemical vapor deposition approaches and development of unique nanostructured material systems and composites for various energy technologies with an emphasis on practical applications. Aytug has published more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, has 21 issued US patents, and commercialized and licensed his technologies to 6 companies.

He has received numerous awards of excellence including 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2021 R&D100 Awards; 2020 Battelle Celebration of Solvers Award, UT-Battelle Inventor of the Year Award (2019); 2008, 2010, 2017 National Federal Laboratory Consortia Excellence in Technology Transfer Awards; 2011 and 2007 Southeast Federal Laboratory Consortia Award; 2023 and 2014 ORNL Research Accomplishment Awards; and 2006 and 2017 ORNL Excellence in Technology Transfer Awards.