Materials for energy conversion systems: fundamentals, designs, and applications

Alternative multi-modal energy sources such as electro-mechanical and electro-optical coupled systems are becoming increasingly vital. This Symposium will address a variety of materials and technologies that are critically needed to develop state-of-art coupled energy conversion systems.

Scope:

Energy production will remain an issue of critical importance for the foreseeable future. Indeed, among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the "sustainable consumption and production" of energy is one of our time's major scientific and engineering challenges. The symposium "Materials for Energy Conversion Systems: Fundamentals, designs, and applications" addresses two primary energy production techniques, namely, electro-optical and electro-mechanical conversion systems.

The development of alternative coupled energy conversion systems, meaning converting energy from mechanical and optical fields simultaneously, requires an understanding of the multi-faceted phenomena taking place in the materials at different length scales. Therefore, this symposium will provide a unique opportunity for interchange and cooperation essential to boost a multiscale and multidisciplinary dialogue on innovative and sustainable materials in the field of energy conversion.

The combination of state-of-the-art simulations with novel experimental approaches is the path that will enhance and accelerate the development of cutting edge applications and devices. This approach is at the base of the "Energy Conversion Systems: From Materials to Devices "International Research Group (FAU, Germany; NITech, Japan) that partly organize the symposium together with researchers from Université Paris-Saclay (France) and University Warwick (UK) to represent the interdisciplinary synergies required. We want to share the progress and challenges of developing novel advanced materials/devices based particularly but not limited to sustainable lead-free materials.

The different sessions will cover all aspects of electro-optical and electro-mechanical energy conversion systems, from the fundamental aspects, the development of new advanced processes, and the simulation/modelling, development and integration of functional materials in energy harvesters. Particular attention will be devoted to lead-free perovskites that have clearly demonstrated a multi-functionality, such as ferroelectricity in electro-optical materials and a photovoltaic response in ferroelectrics.

Hot topics to be covered by the symposium:

• Smart Conversion Materials and Technology
• Novel materials and concepts
• Advances in photovoltaics
• Manufacturing and Characterization of Functional Materials
• Mechano-Thermal-Optical-Electrical Coupling in Emerging Energy Materials
• Functional optical materials and glass-ceramics for energy applications
• Lead-Free Perovskites
• Modelling of Vibration Energy Harvesting
• Applications of energy materials: harvester circuits and electronics
• Applications of advanced materials as sensors and transducers as smart wearables and implants