Thermoelectric materials, substances that convert temperature difference into electricity, find a multitude of applications involving the conversion of waste heat into useful electrical energy. However, they often need to rely on heavy rare earth elements for efficient thermoelectric conversion.

In South Korea, researchers from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology have developed a methodology to improve thermoelectricity production. High charge carrier mobility and low thermal conductivity of indacenodithiophene (IDT)-based polymers make them ideal candidates for thermoelectric materials. However, they suffer from low electric conductivity, a prerequisite for high thermoelectric performance. In…

If your drinks never get very cold, blame the shortcomings of thermoelectric cooling

Scientists have developed a floating solar still device that is capable of harnessing the sun's energy to purify seawater and withstanding harsh maritime conditions.

Researchers are coming to understand that the best performing materials in sustainable energy applications, such as converting sunlight or waste heat to electricity, often use collective fluctuations of clusters of atoms within a much larger structure. This process is often referred to as "dynamic disorder."

The need to transition to clean energy is apparent, urgent, and inescapable. Thermoelectric materials could help.

MEXICO, Jan 31 (IPS) - This January, Mexico has embarked on a new industrial path for the next six years, where the viability of its energy component faces fundamental challenges that put it at risk.

MÉRIDA, Mexico, Apr 18 (IPS) - At home, Isabel Bracamontes uses gas only for cooking. "We try to prepare food that doesn't need cooking, like salads," she says in the southeastern Mexican city of Mérida.

We designed and built a reduced-scale model experiment to study the paragliding inflation and launching phase at given traction force. We show that the launch t