Thermoelectricity

‘Invisible’ particles could enhance thermoelectric devicesNew approach could improve the efficiency of devices that harness power from temperature differences.

How to treat heat like lightNew approach using nanoparticle alloys allows heat to be focused or reflected just like electromagnetic waves.

Harnessing solar energyNovel approach yields both electricity and heat.

Controlling heat flow through a nanostructureMIT researchers find that heat moving in materials called superlattices behaves like waves; finding could enable better thermoelectrics.

Double the benefits: clean energy also saves waterNREL-MIT study shows an 80 percent renewable energy standard cuts water use in half.

New material shares many of graphene’s unusual propertiesThin films of bismuth-antimony have potential for new semiconductor chips, thermoelectric devices.

Catching some rays — lots of themNew MIT design for a metamaterial could be far more efficient at capturing sunlight than existing solar cells.

Turning heat into powerA new kind of high-temperature photonic crystal could someday power everything from smartphones to spacecraft.

Here comes the sunA new sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency.

A novel way to concentrate sun’s heatMIT researchers find a way to generate power without the usual mirror arrays.

Graphene shows unusual thermoelectric response to lightFinding could lead to new photodetectors or energy-harvesting devices.

Explained: ThermoelectricityTurning temperature differences directly into electricity could be an efficient way of harnessing heat that is wasted in cars and power plants.