Simultaneous power generation and cooling using semiconductor-sensitized thermal cells

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Hayashida, Atsushi, Saito, Hitoshi, Chunxiang, Yang, Nishii, Taiga, Ishihara, Motokazu, Nakamura, Yuta, Sunaga, Kento, Matsushita, Sachiko
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Hayashida, Atsushi
Saito, Hitoshi
Chunxiang, Yang
Nishii, Taiga
Ishihara, Motokazu
Nakamura, Yuta
Sunaga, Kento
Matsushita, Sachiko
author_facet Hayashida, Atsushi
Saito, Hitoshi
Chunxiang, Yang
Nishii, Taiga
Ishihara, Motokazu
Nakamura, Yuta
Sunaga, Kento
Matsushita, Sachiko
contents This manuscript reports a semiconductor-sensitized thermal cell (STC) that converts ambient heat into electrical power while simultaneously reducing its own temperature under isothermal conditions. Using a printable semiconductor--electrolyte architecture, we fabricate $4\,\mathrm{cm} \times 4\,\mathrm{cm}$ devices that generate up to approximately $0.2\,\mathrm{mW}$ at temperatures of $40$--$55\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$. During continuous discharge, the STC exhibits a transient temperature decrease followed by thermal equilibration with the environment. In contrast, periodic on--off discharge produces sustained cooling of approximately $1\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$ relative to a non-discharging reference. Notably, parallel integration of four STCs yields a nonlinear enhancement of cooling (approximately $5\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$) without a corresponding increase in electrical output. The observed behavior can be understood within a macroscopic energy-balance framework, in which time modulation of electrochemical heat consumption prevents the establishment of thermal steady state. These results demonstrate sustained isothermal cooling induced by heat-to-electricity conversion at practical device scales, and highlight semiconductor-sensitized thermal cells as a platform for coupled energy harvesting and thermal management.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_12114
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Simultaneous power generation and cooling using semiconductor-sensitized thermal cells
Hayashida, Atsushi
Saito, Hitoshi
Chunxiang, Yang
Nishii, Taiga
Ishihara, Motokazu
Nakamura, Yuta
Sunaga, Kento
Matsushita, Sachiko
Materials Science
Applied Physics
Chemical Physics
This manuscript reports a semiconductor-sensitized thermal cell (STC) that converts ambient heat into electrical power while simultaneously reducing its own temperature under isothermal conditions. Using a printable semiconductor--electrolyte architecture, we fabricate $4\,\mathrm{cm} \times 4\,\mathrm{cm}$ devices that generate up to approximately $0.2\,\mathrm{mW}$ at temperatures of $40$--$55\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$. During continuous discharge, the STC exhibits a transient temperature decrease followed by thermal equilibration with the environment. In contrast, periodic on--off discharge produces sustained cooling of approximately $1\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$ relative to a non-discharging reference. Notably, parallel integration of four STCs yields a nonlinear enhancement of cooling (approximately $5\,^\circ\mathrm{C}$) without a corresponding increase in electrical output. The observed behavior can be understood within a macroscopic energy-balance framework, in which time modulation of electrochemical heat consumption prevents the establishment of thermal steady state. These results demonstrate sustained isothermal cooling induced by heat-to-electricity conversion at practical device scales, and highlight semiconductor-sensitized thermal cells as a platform for coupled energy harvesting and thermal management.
title Simultaneous power generation and cooling using semiconductor-sensitized thermal cells
topic Materials Science
Applied Physics
Chemical Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.12114