5-Mar-2018: Researchers develop thermoelectric compound.

Researchers have developed silver copper telluride(AgCuTe), a novel compound that exhibits poor thermal conductivity in the 25-425 degree C range but shows good electrical conductivity.

The new material made from silver, copper, and tellurium shows high levels of thermoelectric performance that the scientists are hoping could someday be harnessed to extract electricity from waste heat of chemical, thermal, or steel power plants. Due to the low thermal conductivity of AgCuTe, one end of the 8 mm-long rod that is contact with waste heat remains hot while the other end maintains cold temperature. The temperature difference is essential for the generation of electrical voltage. At the same time, the material exhibits good electrical conductivity like metal.

The compound, silver copper telluride(AgCuTe), shows promise as a thermoelectric material for converting waste heat into electricity. Potential applications of the thermoelectric technology are in automobile industry, chemical, thermal and steel power plants where large quantities of heat are wasted.