Extreme Environment Ceramic Energy Harvesting/Sensors

The program is focused on developing high temperature energy harvesting devices that can convert waste energy (primarily vibratory) such as the mechanical disturbance from thrusters as to include waste exhaust created during operational conditions. The program focus is on developing very high performance devices that are extremely robust and that can continuously operate at up to 500 C. The purpose of this program is to develop new high performance energy conversion devices that can act as a localized power generator for sensors and other devices. The program has already made substantial headway in designing and fabricating simple, rugged, easily installed, high temperature energy conversion devices that can be easily installed on thruster components and other similar high temperature parts. Fortuitously, these new energy conversion devices can equally function as high performance/high temperature capable vibration/pressure sensors. Part of this program has been focused on an important development of the first known (low cost) method for non-epoxy/low temperature joining of ceramics to metals. This cold sinter innovation separately has great potential to address a wide range of other NASA applications in potentially critical ways.