Development and Characterization of a High-Temperature Heat Flux Sensor Using the Transverse Seebeck Effect in Elemental Rhenium

Date

Nov 26, 2025

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Speaker

Dr. Kenneth McAfee

Affiliation

University of Maryland, USA

Language

en

Main Topic

Materialien

Host

Martina Javorka

Description

Certain configurations of anisotropic single crystals have the potential to produce an electric signal perpendicular to an applied temperature gradient. This effect is known as the Transverse Seebeck Effect (TSE) and can be leveraged to build thermoelectric devices compatible with harsh environments. In this work, we report on the development and characterization of a heat flux sensor using the TSE in single crystal rhenium. The sensor features a simple, robust construction, and is fabricated with ceramics and alloys compatible with temperatures exceeding 1000 °C. The heat flux sensor is characterized from room temperature to 500 °C using a new temperature-controlled calibration facility developed at the University of Maryland. The sensor exhibits a voltage response that is both linear with respect to the applied heat flux and augmented as the conditions become more challenging. The sensor’s responsivity remains stable after long term exposure to temperatures as high as 1000 °C, demonstrating good compatibility of the sensing platform with harsh environments. These results showcase the unique use case of the TSE in refractory metals for robust thermoelectric devices and highlight the potential performance that can be achieved by TSE-based sensors in applications such as space exploration, energy production, and high-speed flight.

Links

• Seminars at the IFW

Last modified: Nov 26, 2025, 7:35:32 AM