Structural distortions emerge from nothing at the nanoscale

Scientists have discovered that a class of materials known to convert heat to electricity and vice versa behaves quite unexpectedly at the nanoscale. The discovery -- a new "opposite-direction" phase transition that helps explain the strong thermoelectric response of these materials -- may help scientists identify other useful thermoelectrics, and could further their application in capturing energy lost as heat, for example, in automotive and factory exhaust.

Read the whole article on Science Daily

More from Science Daily