Structures for Electricity Production in Electric Vehicles

shows an air taxi, which is a small electric aircraft to operate like a taxi to transport people in a city.

This project pertains to the use of structures to produce electricity. In contrast to batteries, charging does not need energy input. This results in electric vehicles not having to stop to get charged, in addition to not having to rely on batteries, which are heavy and bulky.

Project description

Energy need is challenging for electric vehicles, such as air taxis and electric automobile. This is because batteries are heavy and bulky, in addition to being hazardous chemically and limited in service life. In addition, the batteries need to be recharged, so that the electric vehicles have to stop for recharging after a certain distance of travel. The need to stop greatly limits the efficiency of utilization of the vehicles, in addition to limiting the mobility of the vehicle users. This project pertains to a new electrical energy generation technology invented by Prof. Chung. The method uses structures that exhibit the ability to act like a battery, but without the incorporation of battery or other devices and without the need for energy input during charging. This revolutionary self-charge ability means that the electric vehicles do not need to stop for charging.

Project outcome

The project will provide experimental results to support the new energy technology. The work will involve electrical measurement on structural materials.

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment About a semester (3-5 months)
Start time Anytime
In-person, remote, or hybrid?
In-person
Level of collaboration Individual student project
Benefits Academic Credit
Who is eligible Juniors and Seniors who have taken MAE381

Project mentor

Deborah Chung

Professor

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Phone: (716) 645-3977

Email: ddlchung@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

Keywords

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering