Discovery

Thermoelectric involving a direct relationship between temperature of materials and the production of electricity. Thermoelectric materials have been used by NASA to generate power for far-away spacecraft.

Recently, researchers at Boston College and MIT have used nanotechnology to achieve a major increase in thermoelectric efficiency.

This research become a milestone that paves the way for a new generation of products that run cleaner, can be semiconductors and air conditioners, car exhaust systems and solar power technology.

It was revealed in Journal Science, this low cost approach involves the building of tiny alloy nanostructures. It will serve as micro-coolers and power generators.

ScienceDaily reported, using nanotechnology, the researchers at BC and MIT produced a big increase in the thermoelectric efficiency of bismuth antimony telluride — a semiconductor alloy that has been commonly used in commercial devices since the 1950s — in bulk form. By nanotechnology, Boston College physicist Zhifeng Ren added, they have found a way to improve an old material by breaking it up and then rebuilding it in a composite of nanostructures in bulk form.

Adapted from materials provided by Boston College, enriched from ScienceDaily