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Turning waste heat into energy

The team created a thermocell using a hydrogel that reacted to temperature changes, converting latent heat into electricity. This breakthrough supports the idea that various materials can be used for thermoelectric conversion, potentially reducing reliance on other energy sources and improving cooling systems.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2023

Towards more efficient and eco-friendly thermoelectric oxides with hydrogen substitution

Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have discovered a new approach to improve the performance of thermoelectric materials by substituting hydrogen for oxygen. This substitution reduces thermal conductivity while maintaining high electronic conductivity, leading to improved thermoelectric conversion efficiency.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 18, 2023

WVU lab’s game-changing high-performance semiconductor material could help slash heat emissions

A team led by Xueyan Song at West Virginia University has created an oxide ceramic material that solves a longstanding efficiency problem plaguing thermoelectric generators. The breakthrough achieved record-high performance, opening up new research directions to further increase performance and enabling large-scale waste heat recovery.

SourceWest Virginia University·JournalRenewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews·DateMar 14, 2023

New “camera” with shutter speed of 1 trillionth of a second sees through dynamic disorder of atoms

Researchers at Columbia University have developed a new 'camera' that can see atomic structures in real-time, revealing the dynamic disorder of materials. This breakthrough enables better understanding of thermoelectric devices and waste heat conversion, leading to more efficient sustainable energy applications.

Quantum sensors see Weyl photocurrents flow

A team of researchers led by Boston College Assistant Professor Brian Zhou developed a new quantum sensor technique to image and understand the origin of photocurrent flow in Weyl semimetals. They found that the electrical current flows in a four-fold vortex pattern around where light is shined on the material.

SourceBoston College·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 26, 2023

Clemson researchers, "father of Thermoelectrics" team up to develop new method to evaluate thermoelectric materials

A team of Clemson researchers has developed a new method to evaluate the efficiency of thermoelectric materials, called the figure-of-merit (zT), which considers temperature, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity. The new method uses Peltier cooling to measure zT with higher resolution and accuracy.

SourceClemson University·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 9, 2023

Crystals generate electricity from heat

Researchers have discovered a synthetic sulfide mineral that converts heat into electricity efficiently and safely. The novel material, composed of copper, manganese, germanium, and sulfur, shows two crystal structures within the same material and has a stable temperature range up to 400 degrees Celsius.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 8, 2022

Flashing creates hard-to-get 2D boron nitride

Rice chemists adapt flashing process to synthesize pure boron nitride and boron carbon nitride flakes with varying degrees of carbon. The flakes show promise as an effective anticorrosive coating, protecting copper surfaces up to 92% better than traditional compounds.

SourceRice University·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 11, 2022

Singapore team develops new technology that upcycles old, expired solar panels into heat-harvesting electricity materials

A team of scientists from A*STAR and NTU Singapore have developed technology to transform expired solar cells into enhanced thermoelectric material, which harvests heat and converts it into electricity. The technology achieved a record-high thermoelectric figure of merit of 0.45 at 873 K.

SourceAgency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 29, 2022

Thermoelectrics: From heat to electricity

Scientists have discovered a way to optimize thermoelectric properties in one material by exploiting the Anderson transition, where electrons move freely, enabling efficient energy conversion. This breakthrough could lead to improved performance in thermoelectric devices and applications, such as power generation and waste heat recovery.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 23, 2022

Ink could enable devices powered by heat

Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a thermoelectric coating that converts low-grade heat into electrical power, with potential to replace batteries in wearables and IoT devices. The coating can be applied to any surface that generates heat, enabling efficient energy harvesting.

SourceKTH, Royal Institute of Technology·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateJun 14, 2022

New strategy for designing thermoelectric materials

Researchers discovered electronic structure properties common to high-performance thermoelectric materials and developed a versatile materials design approach. The database of two electronic structure parameters correlated with thermoelectric conversion properties revealed relationships between chemical elements and material properties.

SourceNational Institute for Materials Science, Japan·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 17, 2022

New material offers ecofriendly solution to converting waste heat into energy

Researchers have developed a high-performing thermoelectric material that converts heat to electricity with record-high efficiency, making it suitable for widespread industrial applications. The purified tin selenide in polycrystalline form overcomes earlier oxidation problems, enabling the production of low-cost and efficient devices.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 2, 2021

Current trend reversed

Researchers demonstrate controlled reversal of thermoelectric current in a tiny cloud of atoms by tuning interaction strength. This breakthrough advances the fundamental understanding of interacting quantum systems and paves the way for designing efficient thermoelectric materials.

SourceETH Zurich Department of Physics·JournalPhysical Review X·DateMay 13, 2021

https://discovery.kaust.edu.sa/en/article/1098/the-right-ring-count-to-harness-waste-heat

Researchers at KAUST have developed electron-transporting, air-stable organic semiconductors that can generate electricity from waste heat. The polymers' unique design enhances electrical conductivity and thermoelectric performance, paving the way for scalable, sustainable energy solutions.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateMar 17, 2021

Game changer in thermoelectric materials could unlock body-heat powered personal devices

Researchers at the University of Wollongong have developed a new thermoelectric material with record-high conversion efficiency, improving heat-to-electricity conversion by over 60%. The discovery could enable the creation of body-heat powered personal devices, revolutionizing low-maintenance electronics and zero-carbon power generation.

Handles and holes in abstract spaces: how a material conducts electricity better

A new theory developed by scientists at SISSA has established a relationship between the presence of 'handles' in the space of atom and molecule arrangements and a material's electrical conductivity. The research found that materials equipped with handles, previously thought to be insulators, can conduct electricity like metals.

Abundant element to power small devices

A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo has developed an iron-based thermoelectric material that can convert waste heat into electricity. The material, which is mostly iron and relatively inexpensive, has shown promise in powering small devices such as remote sensors and wearable devices.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalNature·DateApr 27, 2020

Power dressing

Researchers at KAUST have developed a stretchy and self-healing thermoelectric material that can generate electricity using body heat. The material has been shown to be robust enough to withstand daily stress and strain, making it a promising candidate for powering wearable technologies.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateJan 6, 2020