Scientists have created thermoelectric material with a hybrid atomic structure

Researchers have discovered a new type of thermoelectric materials that allow the development of unique devices.

Thermoelectrics are used in a variety ofelectronic systems, from coolers to spacecraft, and their properties are determined by their atomic structure. Typically, solids have an ordered crystalline or randomly distributed amorphous. Now, however, an international team of scientists led by physicists from Clemson University have created a new hybrid compound that simultaneously combines both of these types.

It consists of a mixture of elements of the same group.periodic table with different sizes of atoms: sulfur with tellurium and copper with silver. Compound (Cu1-xAgx) 2 (Te1-ySy) has a unique dual structure, which is an interweaving of crystal and amorphous lattices.

The new material has goodthermoelectric characteristics, and its hybrid structure opens up possibilities for creating more efficient devices with unique properties. Although, according to the researchers themselves, the first real applications with such compounds will appear only in 10-20 years.

Let us recall that earlier scientists also developed a stretchable composite material with high electrical conductivity and good thermoelectric properties.

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