Articles tagged with Thermoelectric Materials
A new microscopic theory describes heat transport in general ways, applying to ordered or disordered materials like crystals or glasses. The equation allows accurate prediction of thermoelectric material performance, which is crucial for efficient energy conversion and cooling.
Researchers developed a thermoelectric module based on liquid-like materials, achieving a record-high energy conversion efficiency of 9.1%. The Cu2Se/Yb0.3Co4Sb12 TE module showed excellent service stability when the ratio of cross-sectional areas between p- and n-legs was higher than four.
Researchers have identified a new thermoelectric material in tin selenide, which can convert 20% of heat into electrical energy, exceeding the efficiency of bismuth telluride. The material's crystal structure changes at high temperatures or pressures, producing a semi-metallic state that enhances its thermoelectric properties.
Scientists at Linköping University have developed an ultra-sensitive heat sensor based on a polymer mixture that uses ions as charge carriers, resulting in a signal 100 times stronger than traditional materials. The new material has potential applications in wound healing, electronic skin, and smart buildings.
The new cellulose-based material measures all three parameters independently, making it suitable for applications such as robotics, healthcare, and security. The sensor utilizes thermoelectric effect and distinguishes between electron and ion responses to measure temperature and humidity levels.
Physicists have discovered a new effect, known as Kondo-like phonon scattering, which explains the low thermal conductivity of certain materials. This discovery paves the way for creating excellent thermal insulators that conduct electricity, enabling the conversion of waste heat into electrical energy.
Theoretical physicists at Linköping University developed a computational method to calculate the transition from one phase to another in dynamically disordered solid materials. This enables the development of eco-friendly materials for solar cells, batteries and fuel cells.
Researchers at ICMAB-CSIC create a new thermoelectric material using bacterial cellulose and carbon nanotubes, offering high electrical conductivity and thermal stability. The device has potential applications in Internet of Things, Agriculture 4.0, and Industry 4.0.
Researchers at UMass Amherst have developed a fabric that can harvest body heat to power small wearable microelectronics, such as activity trackers. The fabric uses thermoelectric properties of everyday materials like wool and cotton to generate electricity.
Researchers have discovered a new class of half-Heusler thermoelectric compounds with a record high figure of merit, converting heat to electricity efficiently. The compound composed of tantalum, iron, and antimony demonstrated promising thermoelectric performance without using expensive elements.
Marzari's group develops open-source solutions to link proprietary IBM technologies with AI models, identifying promising materials for further study. The project enables automatic calculation of material properties on demand, highlighting outliers worthy of experimental characterization.
Physicist Zhifeng Ren, director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston, has received a research award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to collaborate with German researchers. He will focus on new fabrication techniques and thermoelectric materials to improve clean energy conversion.
Researchers successfully developed novel nanostructured films composed of low-cost and environmentally-friendly ZnO. The embedded-ZnO nanowire structure exhibits a 3-fold increase in thermoelectric power factor and a 20% decrease in thermal conductivity, enabling energy recovery from transparent objects.
The researchers are developing new materials based on 'laser ceramic - thermoelectric' heterostructures to improve the performance characteristics of final materials in several ways. They aim to create a structure where SrTiO3 and TiO2 grains are located in a 'checkerboard' order throughout all the volume of the material.
A new study published in Nature Communications has more than doubled the ability of a material to convert heat into electricity, a significant step towards reducing wasted fossil fuel. By significantly narrowing the space through which spread electrons move, researchers improved thermoelectric energy conversion rates.
Atomically thin nanowires have been found to convert heat to electricity with unprecedented efficiency. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of new thermoelectric generators and exploration of alternative candidate materials for thermoelectrics.
MIT physicists have found a way to boost thermoelectricity's potential, with a theoretical method that could produce five times more efficient materials and potentially double the amount of energy generated. The new approach uses topological semimetals under strong magnetic fields, enabling electrons and holes to move in opposite direc...
Researchers have developed an algorithm that can discover and optimize thermoelectric materials in a matter of months, rather than years. The new method simplifies computational approaches for electron-phonon scattering, speeding up the process by about 10,000 times and reducing development time.
The study explores the thermoelectric properties of nanometer-thick tin selenide crafted in thin films of connected 'nanoflakes', achieving a significant power factor improvement through doping with silver. This material has potential for miniaturized, environmentally friendly, low-cost thermoelectric and cooling devices.
Scientists have discovered a simple method to harness the thermoelectric effect by combining a graphite pencil with a conductive coating on paper. The resulting voltage is comparable to expensive nanocomposites, offering potential applications in flexible electronics and wearable devices.
Researchers at Osaka University have created a new thermoelectric material (ytterbium silicide) with an improved power factor at room temperature. The material's unique layered structure suppresses heat conduction, preserving the temperature gradient and enabling efficient power generation.
Researchers at Hokkaido University developed a novel approach to improve thermoelectric material performance by harnessing high mobility two-dimensional electron gas. This enables efficient heat-to-electricity conversion, overcoming current limitations in industrial applications.
The research demonstrates significant potential for semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes as primary material for efficient thermoelectric generators. The discovery enables the fabrication of devices from a single material, simplifying production and improving performance.
The devices can be cut to the size needed for specific applications due to their symmetrical fractal wiring patterns. The modular generators could be inkjet printed on flexible substrates like fabric and manufactured using inexpensive roll-to-roll techniques.
Researchers at the University of Houston have discovered a new mechanism to boost performance in thermoelectric materials by increasing carrier mobility, enabling more efficient electricity generation from waste heat. The work expands the potential of magnesium-antimony materials for use in thermoelectric devices.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have discovered a unique thermoelectric material, cesium tin iodide, that can block most heat transfer while preserving high electrical conductivity. This rare pairing has potential applications in electronic cooling, turbine engines, and other fields.
Scientists have developed a technique to map thermal conductivity at the nanoscale, enabling more efficient thermoelectric materials. This breakthrough uses scanning thermal microscopy to analyze three-phase thermoelectric materials and determine their local thermal conductivity.
Researchers have designed a flexible thermoelectric energy harvester that rivals rigid devices, using liquid metal interconnects for low resistance and self-healing capabilities. The technology has the potential to power wearable electronics without batteries.
Joe Feser's $500,000 NSF grant will focus on manipulating heat transfer by phonons using embedded nanoparticles. The research aims to engineer materials with improved thermal properties for applications such as nanostructured electronic and optical materials.
Researchers discovered a new, eco-friendly thermoelectric material made from calcium, cobalt, and terbium that can generate electricity through temperature differences. The material has the potential to power implantable medical devices, charge mobile devices, and even reuse waste heat in power plants.
A new academic journal, Materials Today Physics, launched by UH physicist Zhifeng Ren will focus on thermoelectric and photovoltaic materials. The journal aims to speed the dissemination of crucial information about materials from discovery to application.
Researchers at UNIST have created a new type of high-performance thermoelectric material that can be directly painted onto any surface. This innovation enables the efficient collection of heat energy from industrial waste, potentially powering vehicles and other applications.
Scientists have created a new thermoelectric material that can convert waste heat into electricity at an unusually high rate, producing 22 watts per square centimeter. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient energy conservation and reduced CO2 emissions by harnessing abundant and free fuel sources.
Researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology have successfully synthesized a new thermoelectric material, CaMgSi, with sufficient size and thermoelectric properties comparable to those of previously developed materials. The material exhibits both n- and p-type conductivity, making it suitable for power-generation modules.
Researchers aim to improve thermoelectric performance in polymeric materials with $900,000 US Department of Energy funding. This study could yield new materials for efficient energy harvesting and waste heat recovery.
A new low-cost, nontoxic way to generate power has been demonstrated by combining concentrating solar power with segmented thermoelectric legs. The technology achieved an efficiency of 7.4% and is expected to be useful for isolated areas or small clusters of homes/businesses.
Researchers at the University of Houston have reported record thermoelectric performance from a rare bismuth-based Zintl compound. The material boasts high efficiency, converting heat to electricity with an impressive figure of merit value.
Researcher Zhifeng Ren has received a $561,275 DOE grant to continue his work on flexible transparent electrodes and thermoelectric materials. His efforts aim to enhance existing material properties and discover new materials with high power factor.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new thermoelectric material that converts waste heat to electricity more efficiently than previous materials. By doping tin selenide with sodium, they increased the material's performance, enabling it to produce significantly more electricity from the same amount of heat input.
Scientists have successfully developed a method to control both heat and electricity conduction in thermoelectric materials using nanostructures. By introducing ultrasmall Ge nanodots into Si, they achieved high electric conductivity and low thermal conductivity, enabling simultaneous control of both.
Complex engineered materials pose significant structural challenges due to non-periodic and disordered atomic structures. A new approach combining experimental and theoretical tools is required to obtain unique solutions.
Researchers at ORNL discovered the atomic mechanism behind tin selenide's high efficiency in converting temperature gradients to electricity. The material's unusual atomic vibrations help prevent 'heat leaks,' maximizing conversion into electricity.
Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a new formula to calculate the maximum efficiency of thermoelectric materials, which could lead to breakthroughs in clean energy generation. The formula takes into account temperature-dependent properties and can determine whether devices are efficient enough to be worth pursuing.
Researchers at the University of Houston are working on discovering novel materials to improve superconducting properties, thermoelectric efficiency and microelectronic performance. They aim to develop new materials that can transform electricity generation, transmission and storage, as well as reduce greenhouse gases.
A new technique uses high-energy alpha particles to transform thermoelectric materials into more efficient versions, even improving electrical conductivity and thermopower. The research could lead to significant advancements in clean energy and device cooling applications.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have made the first measurements of thermoelectric behavior in a nanoporous metal-organic framework (MOF), a discovery that could lead to more efficient cooling and energy harvesting applications. The material, known as TCNQ@MOF, exhibits high Seebeck coefficient and low thermal conductivity.
The team has calculated the complete elastic properties for 1,181 inorganic compounds, increasing data availability by almost ten-fold. This new dataset is expected to aid materials scientists in developing new materials with specific mechanical properties.
Researchers have created a novel and highly efficient thermoelectric alloy, nearly doubling industry standard efficiency. The new material achieves significant temperature changes, enabling potential applications in electrical vehicles and personal electronic devices.
The XPD beamline at NSLS-II achieved its first scientific commissioning experiment, yielding valuable information about ruthenium diselenide's thermoelectric properties. The study revealed the relationship between atomic structure and thermopower, shedding light on why RuSe2 has a high thermopower but low electrical conductivity.
Researchers at the University of Houston have created a new thermoelectric material that generates electric power from waste heat, offering higher efficiency and output power than existing materials. The material has a peak power factor of 55 and a figure of merit of 1.4, making it commercially viable for applications such as car exhau...
Researchers developed a new way to calculate the electrical properties of individual components in composite materials, which could improve the energy efficiency of medical refrigerators, air-conditioned car seats, and other thermoelectric applications. The technique uses effective medium theory and allows for the separation of phase p...
Researchers have created a novel hydrogen-deuterium mixture, exhibiting disordered Phase IV-material with different molecular behaviors. This discovery could lead to optimized thermoelectric and electronic properties in superconducting materials.
Researchers have discovered a way to create thermoelectric materials with low thermal conductivity by incorporating porous substances. This design allows for more efficient conversion of heat to electricity, making it a promising material for future green tech devices.
Scientists have developed a new approach to convert low-temperature waste heat into electricity with an efficiency of 5.7 percent, surpassing conventional thermoelectric devices. The new technology utilizes the thermogalvanic effect and requires only low-cost, abundant materials.
Researchers at the University of Miami discovered a metal named lithium purple-bronze (LiPB) with extraordinary thermoelectric properties, which may revolutionize power generation and refrigeration. The material produces a large voltage for a given temperature difference, making it suitable for converting waste heat into electric power.
Researchers at the University of Houston have discovered a new thermoelectric material that can efficiently convert waste heat into electricity at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 300 degrees Celsius. The discovery could be important for clean energy research and commercialization, potentially increasing efficiency by up t...
Researchers have finally found a theoretical explanation for the differences in thermal conductivity between similar materials, which could lead to the discovery of new thermoelectric materials. The findings are reported in the journal Nature Communications and were partly supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Tin selenide is the best thermoelectric material known for converting waste heat to useful electricity. Its simple structure provides exceptional properties, including low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity.
Researchers at UCSB created a compound semiconductor with embedded nanostructures that can manipulate light energy in the mid-infrared range. The technology has potential applications in solar cells, medical applications and plasmonics.
Researchers have developed a new technique using nanoscale pillars to radically improve thermoelectric materials, potentially leading to more efficient solar panels and power plants. By slowing down the flow of heat, these pillars can reduce thermal losses and increase electricity generation.