Today, more than 65% of energy is lost when generating electricity from fossil fuels.If there is a
To solve the problem of heat loss andpotential energy, scientists from Northwestern University have created a promising thermoelectric material in the form of a single crystal compound of tin selenide (SnSe). The problem remained the high fragility of the single-crystal form of the compound, which made it difficult to use the find in practice. At the same time, the more stable and plastic polycrystalline form of the compound turned out to be insufficiently suitable for thermoelectric conversion. In polycrystalline form, tin selenide has a high thermal conductivity. This eliminates the unique thermoelectric characteristics of the material.
As a result, scientists found a problem - it turned out thatit consisted in the formation of an oxide film on the surface of the joint. To solve this problem, the experts tested a technical process in which scientists removed oxygen from the chain of chemical reactions. As a result, the researchers obtained tin selenide in polycrystalline form, which was obtained without oxide impurities.
The waste heat conversion efficiency in the "pure" polycrystalline compound of tin selenide was approximately 3.1 ZT at a temperature of 783 K (510 °C).
The authors of the study note that the production of a new material can be started without any difficulties.
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ZT is the unit in which the heat-to-electricity conversion rate is measured.