The new self-powered thermoelectric generator device uses an ultra-broadband solar absorber (UBSA) to capture sunlight, which heats the generator. Simultaneously, another component called a planar radiative cooling emitter (RCE) cools part of the device by releasing heat. Credit: Haoyuan Cai, Jimei University. Topics: Alternate Energy, Battery, Chemistry, Energy, Materials Science, Thermodynamics Researchers have developed aContinue reading “TEG…”
Category Archives: Thermodynamics
Solid-State Cooling…
Topics: Global Warming, Green Tech, Materials Science, Solid-State Physics, Thermodynamics Researchers in China have shown that applying strain to a composite material using an electric field induces a large and reversible caloric effect. This novel way of enhancing the caloric effect without a magnetic field could open new avenues of solid-state cooling and lead toContinue reading “Solid-State Cooling…”
Fourth Signature…
Topics: Condensed Matter Physics, Superconductor, Thermodynamics Researchers in the US report that they have observed the so-called “fourth signature” of superconducting phase transitions in materials known as cuprates. The result, obtained via photoemission spectroscopy of a cuprate called Bi2212, could shed fresh light on how these materials, which conduct electricity without resistance at temperatures ofContinue reading “Fourth Signature…”
Thermo Limits…
Topics: Climate Change, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Global Warming, Semiconductor Technology, Thermodynamics In case you had not noticed, computers are hot—literally. A laptop can pump out thigh-baking heat, while data centers consume an estimated 200 terawatt-hours each year—comparable to the energy consumption of some medium-sized countries. The carbon footprint of information and communication technologies asContinue reading “Thermo Limits…”
Time…
Topics: Applied Physics, Education, Research, Thermodynamics Also note the Hyper Physics link on the Second Law of Thermodynamics, particularly “Time’s Arrow.” “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time,” Leo Tolstoy, War, and Peace The short answerWe can measure time intervals — the duration between two events — most accurately with atomic clocks. TheseContinue reading “Time…”
Quantum Exorcism…
Topics: Chemistry, History, Materials Science, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics Thermodynamics is a strange theory. Although it is fundamental to our understanding of the world, it differs dramatically from other physical theories. For that reason, it has been termed the “village witch” of physics.1 Some of the many oddities of thermodynamics are the bizarre philosophical implications of classicalContinue reading “Quantum Exorcism…”
Breaking Physics…
Topics: Quantum Computer, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics In what could prove to be a momentous accomplishment for fundamental physics and quantum physics, scientists say they’ve finally figured out how to manufacture a scientific oddity called a time crystal. Time crystals harness a quirk of physics in which they remain ever-changing yet dynamically stable. In other words,Continue reading “Breaking Physics…”
Power Density…
Topics: Alternate Energy, Climate Change, Existentialism, Global Warming, Green Tech, Thermodynamics Optimizing the placement of turbines within a wind farm can significantly increase energy extraction – but only until the installation reaches a certain size, researchers in the US conclude. This is just one finding of a computational study on wind turbines’ effects on theContinue reading “Power Density…”
Physics and Nano 